Magical Player
by Void's Record
Summary: I was nothing special before I died the first time. When something offered the chance to live again, I took it. Reborn into a world of magic and deceit, I'll rise to the top. There's no way I'll die for the second time. For the path with unlimited possibilities is laid before me! [In Long Hiatus]
1. Prologue

"Somebody is speaking."

 _"Somebody is thinking. "_

 **Gamer notice/prompt**

* * *

A black void was everywhere, surrounding me.

 _"Is this what death supposed to be like? It's kind of boring honestly."_ I mused as I was floating aimlessly in what appears to be the void. _"Hello is anyone there?"_

I tried to speak out but nothing came out from my lips. I couldn't produce any sound. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to stare at the surrounding darkness. I did this for a while before something occurred to me. I was calm. Indeed, I was far too calm to be natural.

There was no apprehension, anger, sadness, boredom or any emotion at all, just a calm acceptance of my situation. Even the revelation of this unnatural phenomenon had only sparked the tiniest flicker of worry before it too was swept away by the calmness.

I spent what must have been hours as I attempted to force myself to feel anything. It was only partially successful. I could feel the emotion but it seemed to be dulled by whatever was happening to me.

My self-reflection had no sooner finished than a blue screen appeared before me.

 **[** **Would you like to play a game?** **]**

 **[** **Yes** **][** **No** **]**

I blink once, twice and then a final time at this glowing screen after it suddenly appeared in front of me.

 _"A game? What kind of game?"_ I couldn't help asking. In all honesty, I didn't expect a response yet a smaller screen appears right underneath the first one. It surprised me before I regained my calm again.

 **[** **The best kind of game — LIFE.** **.** **.** **]**

I snort at the response. _"Life i_ _sn_ _'t a game."_

Even though I dismissed the response, I couldn't help wondering what was going to happen once I made my choice. If I picked 'Yes' would I live again freely or dance to the tune of an unknown cosmic entity, forced to obey the whims of a master I knew nothing of?

Thinking more about the response, I decide it will probably be a mixture of both. What if I picked 'No'? Would I go on to whatever the afterlife thereafter . . . or was this strange place the afterlife? If it was the latter, this was my only chance to escape this place.

I dawdled but I had made my decision. Whatever I faced after accepting it would probably be better than an eternity in this place.

With a slight hesitation and a healthy dose of fear, I chose [Yes].

The screen disappeared and light flooded my sight, blinding me for a moment. After a while, I was able to slowly gather myself and take in my surroundings.

The surrounding walls and ceilings were made out of wood and I saw wooden bars surrounding me along with several other sleeping babies in similar cribs. It hit me right at once. I glanced down and saw my small hands and tiny body. I had become a baby again! I couldn't even get mad for the unnatural calmness still was still presiding in my head.

Then, another box appeared before me.

 **[** **Welcome to the Game of Life. Let's start with the tutorial, shall we? Think or say 'next' to proceed.** **]**

Not wanting an adult — if there was one, I presumed — to come in and hear me talking, I followed the instruction silently.

 **[** **Good job you're not a complete moron. Congratulations!** **]**

I felt a tinge of anger before it was smothered again. This was really starting to get annoying. However, I was helpless. There was nothing I could do.

You have been blessed with the ability to live your new life as a video game. Think or say 'Stats' to continue.

I followed the instruction silently since I couldn't do anything else.

 **Asmodias Lustburg**

 **General Information:**

 **\- Race: Wizard**

 **\- Title(s): [Gamer] [Locked] [Locked] [Locked]**

 **\- Level: 1 - 0% to next level**

 **\- H** **P** **:** **10**

 **-** **MP** **: 1** **40**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **[Strength: 0** **.1** **] [Agility: 0** **.1** **] [Mind: 1** **.4** **] [Magic: 1]**

 **Miscellaneous:**

 **[S** **tat** **Points: 5]**

 **These are your status. Each level you will receive 5 points. E** **ach statistic** **a** **ttribute at one point is equal to best athletes at the top condition and it** **can also be levelled by manual activities related to the attributes such as physical exercise to increase your Strength and what not. A word of caution: just because you're a gamer doesn't mean other people are. You can use the 5 points now or you can continue the tutorial.**

I considered it for a moment before I decided to save the points for later. I didn't have clue how often I could level up or how high my level could go, potentially making these free attribute points extremely valuable down the line and besides I could always increase them manually later.

 **Y** **ou got** **0.** **1 for Mind f** **or** **making an intelligent decision.**

I had to gape at the screen.

 _"Really it was this easy? Wait if I hadn't saved the points would it have still rewarded me or not?"_

I shook off the unwanted thoughts and check my ' **Status** **Window** '. The ' **Mind** ' had become 1.5. My MP became 150, meaning that the total MP is likely **Mind** x **Magic** x 10.

I finally realized that ' **Mind** ' was only affecting ' **M** **P** ' recovery rate. I hoped that my health could regenerate as well, following the videogame logic, but that was something for later experimentation.

My next thought hit me with all the force of a sledgehammer. This was basically the same power the protagonist of Manhwa Korean Comic: The Gamer, Han Jee-Han, had! Of course, it wasn't the exact copy but the fact was undeniable. As much as I wanted to figure it out, I decided to finish the tutorial first.

 **[** **As the Gamer, you can learn and pick up skills during your life which can be shown in your Skill tab. Say or think Skills to continue.** **]**

 _"Skills,"_ I mentally called out.

 **[** **Gamer's Mind (Passive) Level Max** **]:** **Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through, allows the peaceful state of mind and immunity to any kind of mental assault.**

 **[** **Gamer's Body (Passive) Level Max** **]:** **Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. Sleeping will heal your HP, MP and negative status effect faster.**

I read the first skill and the itch in the back of my head that had persisted since realizing I had an unnatural calmness went away as I found the source of it. Mentally frowning at the skill I had no choice but to accept it for now. Maybe in the future, I could find a way to turn it off or, at least, allow me to feel something besides calmness, even though I could see its potential use in dangerous situations.

 **[** **One final thing and then the tutorial will be finished. Every gamer has one and now you do too. Say or think Inventory to access your own personal hammerspace perfect for storing items or hiding a corpse.** **]**

Twitching at the end, I complied anyway.

A blue screen with a grid-like consistency pops up before me. Nothing is in it and I can't help but wonder as to its size. I suppose I'll just have to find out later.

Dismissing it with a thought, what I assumed as the last screen for the tutorial appeared.

 **[** **Congratulations, you have completed the tutorial on your new life. Grow strong enough and one day you may travel the stars and dimensions. Take 25xp for the completion of this tutorial.** **]**

I glanced back at my ' **Status** **Window** ' to see that I was 25% of the way to level 2. Not bad for what amounted to a couple of thoughts.

Since the tutorial finished, I needed to get the fact straight. First of all, I was supposedly a 'Wizard', no? The only people that was called wizard were those with the ability to use magic. Off the top of my head would be those found in the Potterverse and, to be honest, I was not discounting the theory as impossible because what just happened to me seemed pretty impossible.

Grumbling under my breath, I moved my horribly underdeveloped body around. If I was older, more options would be available to me but at least I was still a male. I didn't think even **'Gamer's Mind'** would be able to soothe my panic if I had discovered that someone had robbed my masculinity.

A sigh that didn't belong to a baby escaped my lips. If wishes were money, I'd be a rich baby. Oh well, I had a unique ability with unknown potential to help me, complaining might be too much.

With nothing left to do, I settled down to experiment with my ability. Nothing physical, it would be a quite awkward situation if someone stepped into the room and found a one-year-old doing push-ups.

Concentrating inwards, I searched something, which was not in there before.

It took a while but a bit of soul searching resulted in my first taste of magic power. I couldn't help but be in awe because such a feeling was hard to describe. It felt like water blocked by a dam, churning, swirling, awaiting the moment that I let the lid down and unleashed it like a rampaging, unhindered wave.

Then, I tried to direct it to my body, from head to toe, limb to limb.

The sound of a chiming bell broke my concentration. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a quickly becoming familiar sight — the system notice.

 **Learned a Skill!**

 **[** **Magic Control (Passive) LVL 1 (0.1%)** **]:** **Magic is mysterious phenomenon that defines wizards and witches. By skillfully controlling it, you stand above others.**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Block Accidental Magic random activation by 1%**

 **\- Decreases the cost of the spell by 0.50%**

 **\- Increases** **Magic** **by 1** **per skill's level**

 _"A passive skill? Not, bad. The effects are very useful. "_

I did a calculation in my mind: at level 100, it would decrease the cost of all techniques by 50% and increase my **Magic** by 100. It was good. I was delighted by the useful passive skill.

Humming contentedly at the result, I tried to create another skill.

The mage class in all game needs a **Mana Restoration** skill — or something similar, I supposed. I concentrate inwards again and sunk my consciousness deep into myself. Each breath more relaxed than the last as I searched for guidance. Once more, I was interrupted by a loud 'ding' sound.

 **Learned a Skill!**

 **[** **Meditation (Passive/Active) Level 1 (0.1%)** **]:** **(Warning: cannot use this skill in middle of battle!) To know oneself: body and mind. Meditation has been used for long years to centre oneself and for a relaxation. From henceforth, you have started on the same path as those people before you.**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Passive: Increase Mind and Magic by** **0.** **1** **per skill's level.**

 **\- Active:** **Grants** **MP** **recovery rate by 10% per minute** **.**

 _"This is excellent!"_

I thought that it would only be a simple **Mana Regeneration** skill one could find easily in roleplaying videogame. To give a passive bonus to both 'Mind' and 'Magic' statistics was far beyond what I had expected.

Sure enough, my ' **Status** **Window** ' had been updated. However, before I could try to create more skills, the door to the room was opened and an elderly woman with shoulder-length blond hair and a maternity gown walked in. Following behind her was a teenager with casual attire; consisted of T-shirt and Capri jeans. I must say, the young woman was a looker with her brunette hair and soft brown eyes.

Apparently, this set off some kind of signal to the other babies in the room as they all started fussing about or wailing loudly.

Moving with an efficiency that spoke of long practice, the woman traveled from bed to bed; changed diapers; feed and helped the children to burp; before handed them off to the young brunette woman. The young woman then left the room with the now fed and changed baby and returned without them. Eventually, the older woman reached me. At that moment, I realized that I had soiled myself sometime before my consciousness woke up.

 _"Mental note to myself, situational awareness is an important thing, don't forget it!"_

After the embarrassing treatment by the older lady, I was handed off to the younger one and brought to what must be a playpen of some sort. One thing I had noticed about the two ladies was that as far as I was concerned they were talking English and I was in Yorkshire — England.

After I eavesdropped on the ladies, I got two skills. They were:

 **[** **Language Comprehension (Passive)** **level** **N/A (N/A)** **]:** **The ability to speak and understand languages.**

 **Learned language(s):**

 **\- English: 100%**

 **[** **Snooping (Active) Level 1 (0.1%)]: Information is very important. Snoop everything around you if must!**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Active: Listen to the words spoken in 1 m radius around you clearly**

The younger woman had set me down in the playroom. Glancing around my new eco-system, I see half a dozen babies anywhere from a couple months old to around 2 years old. They were walking, crawling or just sitting around as they banged their rubber toy on the floor or to other children in their arm reach.

I decided to keep to myself, ignoring the children around my age that have made a clique group and played together. I started sorting everything in my head.

I guessed that I was in the Potterverse.

I must state that at no time did I ever consider trying to replay canon events — if this place was even a canon in the first place. I like to believe that I have an understanding of the butterfly effect; just being here was the equivalent of a tsunami if the effect was to be believed.

This was not me being egotistic or anything but I was not in the story and therefore any actions I took would change the timeline, either I liked it or not.

That was, of course, assuming that this dimension was actually the canon one and not a different verse within the multiverse.

Ding!

 **Y** **ou got** **0.** **1 for Mind f** **or** **thinking logically.**

See! Even the system had agreed with me.

I mentally dismissed the prompt and continued to think about my long-term goals.

The system said that if I grew strong enough, I could travel dimensions but first I have to survive this place. So, the toughest person in this place in terms of ascending order would be Lord Voldemort and then his Death Eater. The amount of inbreeds lunatic wizards and witches that were just running around to kill anyone they disliked because the less pure the blood in one's arteries was, quite frankly, ridiculous. Regardless of the fact, they were all just stepping stones to some of the things in the 'omniverse' and if I ever wanted to live longer in not only in the near boundless multiverse but the limitless omniverse too I needed to be able to surpass them easily.

Ding!

 **Quest Alert!**

 **Eating Death Eater**

 **Duration: No time limit**

 **The Potterverse contains some crazy people. Do you want to have an easy life? You need to deal with this inbreed lunatics. Kill Lord Voldemort and destroy Death Eater organization.**

 **Rewards: 10,000Exp, ?**

 **Penalty: N/A**

 **[** **Accept] [Decline]**

It was crazy and I should have felt horrible for planning to kill other people. However, all I could see were the rewards.

As of this moment, I was horribly weak and I had no clue where I was in regards to the timeline. I have to get used to this new body and get stronger as quickly as possible but I was limited to skills that could be easily hidden from view.

I resisted the urge to glance around; confident that I wouldn't be able to see them even if I did look, but maybe. . .

Ding!

 **Learned a Skill!**

 **[** **Magic Detection (Passive/Active) Level 1 (0.1%)** **]:** **Your senses expand and you can feel the unnatural phenomenon all around you. To actively scan you must remain still for 60 seconds and costs 10 Pts from Willpower.**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Passive Range: 1 meter**

 **\- Active Range: 5 meters**

Great! That was all the skills that I could think of off the top of my head that was not totally noticeable except for the active 'Magic Detection' which I would stay away from for now. I didn't know if it was like sonar or if it was an inkling feeling in the back of my mind but I'd hold off for now.

With that done, I started wobbling —running, I planned to do— around while trying to increase my 'Stats'. Sure I fell down a few times and one of the ladies watching over us helped me up again but at the end of the day, it was worth it.

Ding!

 **Y** **ou got** **0.** **2 for Strength;** **0.** **1 for Agility; 1** **Level for** **Magic Detection.**

Not that bad considering all the time spent with the matrons babying us to death.

The matron put us all to bed yet I instinctively knew that I could choose to sleep for any amount of time or just not to sleep at all.

I thought that this was the biggest sign of how things had changed besides the enforced calm. It also opened up more options to train at night when everyone else was asleep. I was aggravated that I didn't gain any points in ' **Mind** ' or ' **Magic** ' statistics but I was working more on cardio than any spiritual gain. I supposed that's fair.

After that, I spent the night in meditation because why waste the time if you have it and the fact that I didn't know if the matrons would check during the night so no physical workouts to avoid undue suspicion?

Ding!

 **You got 0.1** **for Mind from making a plan to avoid suspicion... You sneaky little bugger, you** **.** **..**

I felt like my power was trolling me . . . but a free stat point, so, who cares?

Settling down in my crib, I reached for my meditative state and spend the rest of the night, minus a few interruptions when the matron checked in or a baby got fussy during the night.

8 hours later, I felt like giving the finger to the screen.

Ding!

 **Y** **ou got** **1 Level** **for** **Meditation**

That was seriously pathetic.

Why did it take so long to level up?

I contemplated about it and came to a realization. It was levelling up so slowly because I wasn't fully using it. Meditation could restore my MP, but with a full MP, it wasn't doing that. The door opened and the old lady entered the room again.

As she went about her business I had another horrible realization. I hadn't used the bathroom since I had woken yesterday. If I wanted to not stand out too much I would have to do the unspeakable. I would have to sacrifice something important for the greater good! I must soil myself to keep the illusion of normalcy around me. A deep, dark depression stole over me momentarily before the calm swept it away.

I steeled myself and did the deed. I swore never to speak of it to anyone in the future.

* * *

Months passed and I fell into a routine all the while my frustration with my prison mounted with each passing day. Yes, logically I knew it kept me relatively safe from the outside world but I had hit a plateau on what I could do while the ever watchful eyes of the matrons looked on me.

I had eavesdropped on conversations to know that I was in some place in England in 1981. Now was in early August. It meant that Dog Lord Voldy-short had just been vanquished by the Boy-Who-Didn't-Die-Yet.

After three months, these were my current ' **Stats** ':

 **Asmodias Lustburg**

 **General Information:**

 **\- Race: Wizard**

 **\- Title(s): [Gamer] [Locked] [Locked] [Locked]**

 **\- Level: 1 - 25% to next level**

 **-** **HP** **: 1** **0**

 **\- M** **P** **: 9** **9**

 **Statistics Attribute:**

 **[Strength:** **0.** **8][Agility: 1** **.** **5] [Mind: 3.6 (2** **.1** **+1** **.5** **)] [Magic: 2** **7.5** **(1+1** **.5** **+2** **5)** **]**

 **Miscellaneous:**

 **[Free Attribute Points: 5]**

My Meditation skill had increased to level 15 while Magic Detection was at level 10 and Magic Control had hit a plateau at level 25. Oh, I had also acquired a new skill. It was:

 **[** **Running (Active) Level 10 (56%)** **]:** **Dash like the Flash!**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Active: Increase AGI by 2** **x**

All in all, it was pretty awesome for a one year old but horrible in terms of time-spent to rewards ratio. Regardless of the fact, the orphanage was unduly restricting me and my amazing genius mind. No really look at the stats —3.6 **Mind**.

My Statistics gain had also gone down from lack of a proper exercise regimen.

Running was good and all but the room is tiny and the matrons have started to discourage me from running because apparently 'I was disrupting' the other children.

I wished I couldn't stand out too much so the matrons would ignore what I was doing . . . Wait, stand out! That is it! I was obviously going to be a wizard, but no one says I could have Ninja sub-class, no? Sneaking or concealing my presence would help me.

That was obviously a skill, but how to acquire it? After contemplating for a while, I walked over to one of the darker corners of the room and imagined myself blending into the background unseen by all.

Ding!

 **Learned a Skill!**

 **[** **Stealth** **(Active) Level 1 (0.1%)** **]:** **There's no one says you can't become a ninja just because you're born as a wizard! A master can emerge from hiding, kill, and fade away like a ghost.**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Active: 1%** **increase being unnoticed when** **hiding your presence.**

Now you see me, now you don't.

I noticed that one of the matrons, the young one, was looking at me with a funny look while I crouched in the corner. I decided that the skill needed a lot of work.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_

 _ **\- Chapter was fixed at A**_ _ **ugust**_ _ **1**_ _ **9th, 2018**_

 _ **\- The pairing f**_ _ **or Potterverse**_ _ **a**_ _ **rc**_ _ **will be**_ _ **MC/Harem; Holly Potter (Fem-Harry), Lyra Malfoy (Fem-Draco), Narcissa Malfoy, Su Li, Patil twins, Cho Chang, Delacour sisters, Bellatrix LeStrange, vampire OC.**_

 _ **\- This chapter followed the script of Root of Darkness by Amorphis760.**_


	2. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1stYear (01)

"Now, do you believe magic is real, Mister Lustburg?"

The Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry asked me that question seriously after she'd 'transfigured' the teapot into a white mouse.

I watched the Professor of Transfiguration wordlessly. My dumbfounded expression was something I feigned. It would be weird for what she believed as a muggleborn to stay calm after the demonstration.

She was wearing outdated attire; consisted of dark green dress from Victorian Era with a matching wide hat. She looks like a theater performer who lost her way to this place. Surprisingly, she didn't look like Madam Megan Smith. Actually, she still had her beauty and matured flavor as a woman. Although she was supposedly in her early fifties, she still looked like a woman in her late thirties to the early forties.

When I used one of my skills on her, a small screen popped up before my eyes and showed:

 **Name: Minerva McGonagall**

 **Race: Witch**

 **Level: ?**

 **H** **P** **: ?**

 **M** **P** **: ?**

 **Your level is insufficient to continue!**

The deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who's also the Professor of Transfiguration, she is a widower and very lonely woman. Although she can turn you into a pig, the bragging right from sagging her balances the danger from seducing her.

Disregarding the humorous threat in the end, one of key characters from canon series finally appeared before. Unfortunately, her level was above me and my **Observation** skill couldn't show her detailed information.

Speaking of the skill I'd used, the detailed explanation was like this:

 **[** **Observation (Active) Level 7 (100%) ]** **:** **a skill that was created from observing object, person or other target. This skill will give the user information of object or person aimed by the user. At level 7, this skill can comment the information as if the skill has its own consciousness.**

I was eleven years old at this moment. In previous June 6th was my eleventh birthday and today, Professor McGonagall visited the orphanage to hand over my Hogwarts acceptance letter.

Strange—

I was sure that I never registered myself to be a student in Hogwarts. But, I decided to put this insignificant detail aside. Although I had a meta-knowledge of Potterverse, it didn't mean I was omniscient. There were many things I didn't understand about Potterverse, and I was going enjoy my experience in this world.

I alternated my view between Professor McGonagall and the cup she'd transfigured into a cute little mouse. Watching the magical demonstration in reality was different from watching it from the movies. The impact was nothing like I ever felt before. Yet, my ' **Gamer's Mind** ' did a good job in calming my surprise, amazement and other emotion from her demonstration.

I asked something that I considered very important. "What about the school's expenditures? I'm not sure if the orphanage's budget can pay the yearly tuition from such a prestigious, private school like this— Hogwarts."

"You don't need to worry about it." Professor McGonagall replied easily, as if she was rehearsing an unseen script before her eyes. She undid her transfiguration on the teapot and poured the tea into her empty cup.

When I saw her helping herself for a cup of warm tea, I kept my opinion on how that stuff has been turned into a mouse earlier. I wonder if she realized she was drinking what were formerly intestines of a mouse. Just thinking about that made my stomach churn.

She continued where she stopped earlier: "Your school tuition has been paid full by Department of Magical Education as a scholarship until you finished your Ordinary Wizarding Level, abbreviated as O.W.L., exam in the end of your fifth year. You will also get a stipend to buy your school's equipment and books each new school year."

I nodded my head. Inwardly, I felt relieved because I didn't need to spend my money. I never thought there was a program like this but my surprise is in due since the movies I'd watched never explained about any of this. Then again, I wasn't one hundred percent sure if this world would follow the canon. I made a plan to find out more about it later as I had enough time to prepare myself from the surprise which will happen in the future.

"Will you attend our hallowed hall, Mister Lustburg?" Professor McGonagall asked that question bluntly.

"Yes." I answered curtly before I sent a wry smile to Profession McGonagall's direction. "Still, knowing magic is actually real, I feel like my whole world has been turned upside down."

"You're not the only one." McGonagall paused and took a graceful sip from her cup. "The majority of the muggleborn also feel something similar too."

I didn't show any reaction when I heard how Professor McGonagall called the new blood with that derogatory term. It couldn't be helped since she had grown up in the wizarding world and been indoctrinated by her environment. It was only normal for her to follow the common sense she'd been following since she was a child. I knew how hard it was to stop one's habits which had been integrated as another important piece of one's identity. Believe in me, I had the firsthand experience.

Professor McGonagall put down her cup gracefully and then regarded me for a moment. Then, she said: "Do you have another question before I excuse myself, Mister Lustburg?"

I nodded my head and then asked her a question: "Where can I buy everything in the list?" I waved the list attached with the acceptance letter to send my intention home. "I'm not sure if I can get them all in London, ma'am."

"You need to buy them in a place called the Diagon Alley. Tomorrow, I'll take you there." Professor McGonagall answered my question easily. After that, she asked me another question: "Do you have another question?"

Since Professor McGonagall seemed to be in hurry, I shook my head; no . She seemed pleased by it and nodded her head to me.

"Then, I'll excuse myself. I need to visit the other students' places. Be ready at 10 AM tomorrow. I'll take you to Diagon Alley together with the others."

Professor McGonagall informed me before she stood up. I quickly followed her.

"I thank you for your visit, ma'am. It helped me in dispelling my doubt and confusion."

"What a polite young lad." Professor McGonagall replied with a thin smile; I could feel her sincerity. "I'll return back tomorrow. Have a good day, Mister Lustburg."

"You too, ma'am, you too — Please, be careful on your way."

I escorted Professor McGonagall to the orphanage entrance and then watched her leaving on her feet. A moment later, I saw that Professor McGonagall took a sudden turn into a nondescript alley.

Normal people wouldn't understand why she did that but as a person who'd been reincarnated from a world where Harry Potter was a mere fiction and watched the series, I could accurately guess what she was planning by going there. She would ' **apparate** ' from that empty alley to her next destination.

Speaking of ' **Apparition** ', I had learned it a few years ago. I could do some wandless magic after my ' **Magic** **Control** ' skill had reached level 50. And currently, my ' **Apparition** ' skill was already level 7 from the constant use. Professor McGonagall sudden visit made me aware a new chapter in my life will start very soon. And with it, I unintentionally recalled what'd happened in the past ten years.

I'd focused solely into increasing my power.

Unlike normal children who were busy to have fun, I would do something that could benefit my progress. When other children were playing around, I would help the matrons with some heavy duty. When other children were reading a children's picture book, I would read a difficult book. Of course, I didn't do it when I was still very young. I started to help the matrons after I reached five years old and got my hand on those books after I could visit the public library nearby.

Other than raising my ' **Statistics** ' single-mindedly I had also done some quests from matrons and people in the neighborhood. I offered my service to the others wasn't because the goodness in my heart or because I was a selfless person. On the contrary, I was a very selfish person. The help I offered to the others was for the sake of increasing my own power.

' **Experience** **Points** ' were my sole motivation when I offered my help.

The people thought I was a kind and selfless child who liked to help other. I didn't correct their assumption since it would open the whole can full of worm. I let them to think what they want since there was no adverse effect for me in the end. In fact, my positive image in the neighborhood had helped me a lot.

I returned back to reality, ending my reminiscence. I opened my ' **Status** **Window** ' and checked my latest ' **Statistics** '.

 **Asmodias Lustburg**

 **General Information:**

 **\- Race: Wizard**

 **Title(s):[Gamer] [Locked] [Locked [Locked]**

 **\- Level: 16 - 12.65% to next level**

 **\- H** **P** **: 1** **60**

 **-** **MP** **: 7** **61.6**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **[Strength: 5** **.** **7] [Agility: 4** **.** **8] [Mind:** **13.6(** **8** **.6+** **5** **.0** **)] [Magic: 5** **6** **(1** **+5.0+50** **)]**

 **Miscellaneous:**

 **[S** **tat** **Points: 80]**

My 'Mind' and 'Magic' had reached beyond 50 points, the first milestone.

When a ' **Statistics** **Attribute** ' reached 50 points mark, I'd got a ' **Title** ' as a reward. Unfortunately, ' **Gamer** ' title was unchangeable. Thus, I needed to wait for the second slot in my ' **Title** ' to unlock if I wanted to apply my gained titles. The problem was I didn't know at what level I'd unlock the second slot.

Other than my ' **Stats** ', the majority of my skills had been raised into maximum level. It was why the numbers inside the brackets were absurdly high.

"Dias? Earth to Dias?"

I returned back to the reality because someone had called me. I turned my face to face the speaker and then saw a little girl around my physical age. She had a shoulder-length brown hair and a pair of soft brown eyes. Her childish face had freckles on some parts. I wouldn't call her, Natasha Brigitte, as my close friend; acquaintance was the proper term, I supposed. She's the one who always following me around after I'd helped her from the bullies in the past.

In my eyes, this little girl would become a little sister figure at best. It was impossible for me to return her childish crush to me.

"What's it?"

"Has that strange lady left?"

I felt amused from that question. No one called Professor McGonagall strange. But, I couldn't fault her either since the attire McGonagall had chosen was really outdated. Not even an old lady in this age would wear such outdated attire.

"Yes," I replied after a pause, "Do you need something?"

"Big Sister Carla is waiting you in her office. She told me to tell you that you need to visit her after that strange lady has left."

I nodded my head at that. I could guess what the content behind this meeting.

Speaking of Carla McKenna, she was the only matron left in this orphanage, after the other two old matrons had retired. She was the young woman I met when I arrived into this world. The other matron at that time had retired a long time ago and she was of no importance in grand scale of the scheme.

"Then, I'm going to see Carla."

I moved from my spot, but Natasha grabbed my T-shirt suddenly, stopping me from leaving. I turned my head around and then stared at her in bemusement.

"Dias — a-are you going to leave?" Natasha managed to stutter out what was troubling her mind.

I cocked up my brows as my bemusement became clearer. I wasn't dense or oblivious to a romance but the girl crushing on me before my eyes was too young. Each choice; either returning her silly crush or rejecting her feeling for me would end with something that I didn't have any interest to meddle in. In the end, I chose keeping the status quo and being vague.

She would lose her crush on me soon — I was sure of it — after she met the more interesting boy in the junior high school or the senior high school.

"What do you mean?"

"That lady — She isn't going to take you away, right?"

"Huh? Nope. Well, she's actually a Deputy Headmistress from a private school in Scotland. She was here not to adopt me."

"Then, why was she searching for you?"

"Well, she invited me to attend the private school she is working at."

Natasha made a troubled face and then timidly asked a question, "Did you accept it?"

"Yes." I answered at once.

"Then, you won't attend the last year elementary school together with me, no?"

I held back my flinch when I saw Natasha's sad face as she almost cried.

The tears were glimmering in the corner of her eyes as though they could fall down on her freckled cheeks at any moment. If I didn't calm her soon, she would cry and I would feel bad about it. This girl never mistreated me before and making her cry would leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth.

I flicked her forehead to take her attention away from her sadness. It worked like a charm for her sadness turned into annoyance at once. She glared at me as she rubbed her forehead.

"Don't worry," I tried to soothe her anxiety, "I shall come back for Christmas and Boxing Day. It's not like I'm going to disappear forever."

"Promise?"

She offered her pinky finger to me.

I stared at it blankly. Then, I tried to find a way to get the hell out of this predicament as quickly as possible.

I wasn't a liar and I didn't want to break a promise I had made to other, with sole exception in a life-threatening situation. Promising not to disappear to this silly girl was similar with making an empty promise I would break later. I didn't want to be a liar and someone who would easily break his promise.

"IthinkCarlamustbeimpatientfromwaitingme!"

I said that quickly and dashed to Carla's study, leaving behind the bewildered Natasha who stood silently while watching my back.

"Shite! That's a close call!" I complained bitterly in my heart as I dashed to Carla's small study.

Shortly afterwards, I entered the matron's small study and immediately heard a female voice speaking to me.

"You're late. Did Natasha hold you back on the way?"

My eyes immediately searched for the speaker and I saw her sitting behind a heavy desk.

She was Carla McKenna, a woman with a matured flavor and a unique charm. She had a wavy brown hair that fell down to the middle of her back, framing her beautiful Caucasian face that had a trace of elegance bearing. Her pair of warm brown eyes was twinkling with mirth as she stared at me.

She was wearing one-piece dark blue dress, which, intentionally or not, accentuated her womanly curves. Unlike the prepubescents filled this place, whose figure was undeveloped, the sight before me was truly a sight for my sore eyes. I silently thanked the gods above for the wonderful view as I dragged my body to the empty chair in front of Carla's desk and sat down. Then, I answered her question with a simple, "Yes."

"You know, it's normal for a girl at her age to start showing interest to her opposite sex, right? Why don't you humor her? You two are still young." Her moist pink lips stretched out into a mischievous smirk.

"Hahaha, very funny, Carla."

I laughed dryly as I replied sarcastically.

A sigh that seemed not fit my age slipped out from my mouth. I leaned back my body lazily to the chair and stared at the woman before me with an unamused glance. Then, I continued where I stopped before: "That girl is only eleven. What she feels now is only a childish crush that can disappear easily when more interesting boy catches her fancy. Besides I don't have interest in that. Maybe later, for now, my priority is somewhere else."

"Good grief, what a strange child you're. Have you forgotten you're also eleven-year-old? At least, act properly like your age. A kid like you should be free spirited and playing with your friend."

"Thanks, but no thanks. To be honest, I appreciate your company more," I sent a playful smirk and wriggled my brows suggestively to her, "Only fools who'll skip the chance to spend his time with a fine lady like yourself."

"Flatterer—"

Although Carla's voice sounded indifferent, I knew she was actually flattered by my praise.

What kind of a woman who wouldn't be flattered when they're praised as a beauty? Most females were the same. They liked to be flattered and treated well because it would stroke their ego.

Of course, not all women were like that, there were those who were independent but Carla was the type who relished in flattery when she got the chance though she tried to hide it behind her indifference mask.

Carla was thirty-one-year-old this year. In spite of that, she was still a single for the sake of this old orphanage. I didn't believe there was no man knocking her door to ask her hand in marriage, so to speak.

Aesthetically, Carla was a woman with a charm that made her very pleasant in the eyes. She also had a well-developed figure with right curves in the right places too. I called her a fine lady for reason after all. Still, she poured her everything for the sake of this orphanage. The majority of women at her age would already have a daughter or two, or at least had married.

"Ehem. . ." Carla cleared her throat, dragging down my attention from my internal musings. She showed a serious look as she stared at me. It was my clue to be serious too, "So, what do you think about this private school? Are you going to enroll yourself there?"

"To be honest, the offer was very tempting. I can attend this school without thinking about school tuitions or other expenses. The dorm is said to have three meals and I get scholarship until I reach my fifth year. All in all, it is really a good offer."

"Did you accept it?"

I regarded her silently and, after a short pause, nodded my head. "I've accepted it," I replied calmly, "Besides, any spare fund is useful for orphanage."

I paused and looked around the small office.

I could easily spot the cracks, the faded paints and the peeled wallpapers on the walls. The condition of this study was bad and this wasn't the only place in this building that needed quick renovation.

This orphanage hadn't been renovated for years, almost a decade in fact. The sanitation was also very bad.

As a person who'd been living in this place for a decade long, I knew this orphanage situation better than people who came from outside. This orphanage needed more fund. The majority of its fund was spent to the children's study expense and meal, as well as other necessity like water and electricity bills.

The orphanage budget was very small, which made the orphans living in this place needed to grow up frugally. And the one who had sacrificed the most was the woman before me.

It was easy for me to admire her. Actually, it wouldn't be a mistake to say I hold a crush on her.

She was a woman worth my respect.

Speaking of my person problem, I was very confident with my decade long preparation. However, it didn't mean that I'd become complacent and negligence from it. I wasn't oblivious to the fact that, sometimes, the world would throw a proverbial monkey wrench into my easy life just for shits and giggles.

"I know you, so I won't ask you to rethink your decision," Clara's statement dragged my attention back to the reality. "I just want to know your decision. Knowing you, I should have expected this. Still, a part of me hopes you won't go to this private school."

"Of course, you'll lose your main helper, Carla."

"Hush — You," Clara glared at me. Then, a sigh slipped through her lips before she closed our short meeting, "You can go now. I'm still busy with paperwork. Allocating small fund isn't easy, you know."

"Then, I'll leave." I nodded my head, climbed down my seat and started to walk out. After I opened the door, I said: "Have a fun working." I then walked out of Carla's study with steady steps.

* * *

The next day, Professor McGonagall had taken me to London as she'd promised.

Professor McGonagall had arrived in the orphanage at 10 AM sharp, still wearing the outdated dress she'd worn yesterday.

She took me to Charring Cross and — to be honest — her skill with ' **Apparition** ' was very bad. At least, I could say it confidently that I had the better skill between us. She still made a loud popping sound when she ' **apparated** '; unlike me who could do it silently and with less vertigo as the aftereffect.

After we arrived in Charring Cross, she herded me to the Leaky Cauldron. There was a group of a few small families standing near the famous pub. They seemed to be waiting for us.

When we were close enough, I used my ' **Observation** ' skill to check them one by one. Shortly, I found who they were. The adults were escorting their children who were going to attend Hogwarts as the first years.

I found Hermione Granger and her parents, an unknown girl called Kellah Gilligrant and her father, Justin Finch-Fletchley and an adult gentleman that looked like his butler, Amanda Rowan and her parents and the last family was Lisa Turpin and her parents.

Speaking of Hermione, she looked like Emma Watson, meaning she was would grow up into a looker. I didn't have any intention to mingle with her whatsoever.

All new students presented in here were the muggleborn with muggle parents. If one of their parents was a wizard or a witch, they wouldn't need to be escorted to Diagon Alley by Professor McGonagall.

The number of muggleborn was surprisingly very low, only six with me included.

A short moment later, we followed Professor McGonagall to the back of the pub.

The Leaky Cauldron was surprisingly the exact mirror with the one in the movies, meaning it was a dinky, old bar. Although my memory was hazy at best, I could feel the similarity.

However, what had taken my interest the most was the ambience of magic in the place. My ' **Magic Detection** ' skill went on full throttle in this place. I could sense the mysterious energy weaved in a very complicated manner to create such an exquisite enchantment.

"What an interesting place," I mused in my heart.

We arrived in the back and then waited for Professor McGonagall to open the path. The Muggle families, who were oblivious to that, looked at McGonagall with strange looks. Soon, their strange looks turned into that of a surprise. The source of their surprise was the bricks that blocked the path had crawled to the sides, opening a portal to the heart of magical Britain's business district — the Diagon Alley.

My eyes immediately drank the sight of the bustling street and the curious views presented before me. It felt like I had stepped in a different world. If not because of my ' **Gamer's Mind** ' there must be anxiety, excitement and expectation rampaging inside my chest.

I glanced at the other children who were gaping at the curious views in front of them. Even the adults weren't spared from the effect of this magical sight.

"Welcome, to the Diagon Alley," said Professor McGonagall after she turned her body around, facing us, "Now, let's go to Gringotts first before we procure the necessary equipment and books for the children's schooling."

After that, Professor McGonagall herded us to the two stories, white-coloured building in the other end of the Diagon Alley.

"Don't wander around inside the Gringotts because I can't help you all if you accidentally offend the goblins," She told us before we entered the building. Then, she leaned her body forward and continued in a hushed tone: "Goblins hate wizards and witches because they lost the last war. They will treat you with disrespect to rile you up. Don't do anything that can offend them when you all follow me inside, am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

I was amused by the children's and adult's apprehension and fearful looks to the two Goblin guards, which were standing in the entrance. They watched the sheathed short swords hanging around their waists warily. Professor McGonagall then herded us in and we passed the outer entrance in hurry.

Almost immediately, I saw the poetic warning engraved on the gold plate above the inner entrance, which was guarded by another goblin warrior. After that, we followed Professor McGonagall into Gringotts' hall, which was bustling with banking activity.

Goblins, clad in a business suit and wearing a monocle, were sitting behind the tall counter while the wizards and the witches queued up for their turn to do business. Some goblins were counting stacks of glimmering gold coins or twinkling precious gemstones. I believed it was an invitation to any robber who had lost their mind because of greed. At the same time, I'd found out the hidden goblin guards, armed to their teeth, ready to jump in at any moment.

Unfortunately for me, I couldn't experience the 'goblincoaster' because Professor McGonagall had told us to wait in the waiting spot.

Professor McGonagall took the money from the scholarship program and exchanged GBP for Wizarding's currencies for the adult muggle. When we were waiting, one of my skills, ' **Danger** **Detection** ', warned me of the hidden goblin guard's sudden aggressiveness. In fact, some goblin tellers near the waiting spot stole a glance or two to my direction.

I didn't know why they did it but I was wary and guarded because of it. When McGonagall finished her business, she immediately took us to our first destination; the Ollivanders.

Knowing Garrick Ollivander's conduct, I thought it was a good plan Professor McGonagall had prepared. With this, the first year hopefuls could find their wand while the adults would get the other equipments. Nevertheless, there was still a small problem when Hermione wanted to follow her parents to Flourish and Bloots.

As I expected, Hermione Granger without her book-obsession wouldn't be the Hermione Granger.

After we entered the shabby shop, everyone was searching for the shop owner, except me who immediately found Ollivander's whereabouts with my ' **Presence** **Detection** ' skill.

The aged wandcrafter was actually on top of a ladder, cleaning the shelf high above. I realized that his presence was very thin and it made him very hard to find if he wasn't in front of you.

"Hello. First years — I take it."

All children, but me, jumped when they heard Ollivander's soft yet clear greeting. They searched around for a moment until Hermione found the aged man above them and told the other children. Soon, Ollivander climbed down the ladder. He'd taken out his measuring tape with silver lining from his pocket and approached the child in the front, who was Hermione.

"Well, now — may I know your name, young Miss?"

"Hermione Jean Granger, sir."

"Ah — I see. Which is your wand arm, Miss Granger?"

"Er — well, I'm right-handed, I think," said Hermione.

"Hold out your arm. That's it."

Garrick Ollivander measured Hermione from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Miss Granger. Try this one. Oak and dragon heartstring. Ten inches. Frigid and powerful. Just take it and give it a wave."

Hermione took the wand unsurely and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once and then offered other wand. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try—"

Hermione tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Hermione tried and tried. Until it was her ninth wand that she finally found her match.

"Ah – ten three-quarters inches, dragon heartstring. Temperamental and powerful, but tend to learn more quickly than any other. And the Vinewood, suited for ambitious wizards and witches who seek a greater purpose, who have a vision beyond the ordinary and who frequently astound those who think they know them best. Please take care of her, Miss Granger. Your wand isn't a mere tool. She is a partner you need to take care wholeheartedly."

"Yes, sir," said Hermione as she bobbed her head in a trance. She then stepped back, giving the others their chance to find their wand. Her eyes never left her new wand. There was happiness and excitement in those soft brown orbs.

One-by-one, Ollivander found the wand suited for the children.

Finally, it was my turn.

"And last but not the least, Mister..."

"Asmodias Lustburg," I introduced myself with a clipped tone.

"What an interesting name. Anyway, try this, Unicorn hair and Ash—"

However, I didn't take the wand he offered because my 'Magic Detection'felt the energy in the wand core became agitated. It wasn't a wand suited for me.

"Er, I think this isn't my match, sir?"

"You could tell?" Ollivander raised his brows in interest. His pale silver eyes scrutinized my appearance very closely, "Hmm — interesting. Could you feel your match, Mr Lustburg?"

I nodded my head calmly and used my ' **Magic** **Detection** ' skill to find the wand with good connection to me. After a short while, my hand moved to a certain wand and I said: "I think it is this one."

I then took the wand from the pile left by others.

"Ah — Dragon Heartstring and Cherrywood — Cherrywood often makes a wand possess a truly lethal power, and paired with dragon Heartstring, it is truly a dangerous wand."

Ollivander regarded me silently, which I returned back with my poker-face. After a moment, he nodded and said: "I think I needn't worry about that. You seem to be a good match for this temperamental wand. Please take care your wand well, Mister Lustburg."

I nodded my head and then returned back to my previous spot.

Shortly after that, the adults arrived and took us to Madam Malkin's Robe for Occasions before we could stroll in Diagon Alley. The day was closed with eating cold treat in Florean Fortescue Ice Cream Parlor before Professor McGonagall dropped me back in the orphanage with a new trunk, which was filled with my Hogwarts' books and equipment.

* * *

 **Skills which were mentioned but not explained:**

 **[** **Danger Detection (Passive) Level 24 (7.3%)]** **:** **a natural survival** **instinct. It allows the user to sense when something bad might happen. The higher the skill level, the earlier the user can sense danger. At current level, user can sense danger 0.24 seconds earlier.**

 **[** **Presence Detection (Active/Passive) Level 83 (44.7%)** **]:** **a skill that sense presence around the user. It is instinctive skill, yet the user can focus on it to expand the range of the skill. It also gives the user the appearance of the presence the user focuses on.**

 **Effect(s):**

 **\- Passive effect: 83 Meter.**

 **\- Active effect: 830 Meter.**

 **\- Active MP Cost: 10MP/Sec.**

 **[** **Apparition (Active) Level 7 (Maximum level)** **]:** **I** **t's a magical method of transportation. The user needs to focus the destination before activating the skill and the user will disappear from the current location and appear in the desired location. At level 7, this skill doesn't make a sound and the aftereffect is lessened by 99%. This skill cost 100MP for domestic travel and 500MP for international travel.**

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_

 _ **Chapter was fixed at A**_ _ **ugust**_ _ **1**_ _ **8th, 2018**_


	3. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1stYear (02)

Before I knew it, the first of September had arrived.

Carla had taken me to train station in King Cross using Taxi. There were only the two of us.

At first, Natasha wanted to skip her classes to follow us there but I'd persuaded her to attend her classes. She'd left the orphanage with the fellow orphans in very bad mood.

"Are you sure you can find your train by yourself?" Carla questioned me with a worried tone.

I held back my urge to roll my eyes at that. Then, I answered her question easily: "Yes. Don't worry. I can find it myself."

There was a reason why I didn't want Natasha to follow me. My train was in hidden platform between platform number nine and platform number ten. Carla didn't know that I was going to a magical school. She didn't question me about the school I was enrolling into for she had her faith in me because of my maturity.

"If you're sure then I'll stop worrying you. I know that you're too mature for your age. Just be careful in there, Dias. I'm going to miss you. Everyone in orphanage will miss you."

Saying those parting words, Carla embraced me.

I returned her hug and silently benefited from her soft body on me.

What? Don't look at me like that! I'm a growing child who has hit his puberty and shown interest to opposite sex. It's just that I rarely gave into my urge because I'm still too young and I have my priority somewhere else.

After we separated, I dragged my new trunk to the platform 9¾. I could feel Carla's gaze on my back until I joined the crowds.

As much as I harbored gratitude for her, I understood that this time I needed to leave her and the orphanage for my own good. Living in the orphanage in the mundane area couldn't give me the chance to let my power, as a wizard and a gamer, bloom. It could be seen from how low-levelled I am.

Ten years and yet I hadn't broken through level 25. The quests provided by the orphanage and the neighborhood were very stingy with Experience Points. The highest Exp I'd got from the reward was only ten Exp and that quest was rarely appearing.

Because there was no 'Instant Dungeon Creation' skill like what Han Jee-Han had in The Gamer Manhwa, I couldn't grind my level freely.

Killing human wasn't a good choice because the society I was living in. That didn't mean I wasn't well prepared to take a life. Oh, don't be mistaken. I don't have any intention to be a cold-blooded murder but knowing what would happen in the future it was better being prepared than being caught off guard, no?

Furthermore, Hogwarts could provide me with a chance to grind my level. It was the Forbidden Forest. In that ancient forest, many monsters that were dangerous to be kept alive existed. For example: the Acromantulas. There was also the Black Lake with its aquatic monsters such as Grindyllows and Kappas.

Just fantasizing how much Exp I could gain from hunting them almost made me salivate.

Shortly after I separated from Carla, I arrived in the pillars between platform number nine and platform number ten. I activated my **'Magic Detection'** to feel the abnormality in the pillar and, soon, I felt the right one. The pillar was left alone and ignored by the non-magical folks because of the 'Notice-Me-Not' charm applied on it.

I then checked if my hand could submerge into the pillar. After I found out that my hand could enter the pillar, I immediately dragged my trunk into the pillar. Soon, I walked in the dark corridor and stepped out into the bustling platform number 9¾.

My eyes swept the bustling platform and took a mental note to the magical folks with different clothing style. The majority that was filling this place was preteens to young adults, wearing four different color themes.

Dark yellow or gold paired with red signified the Gryffindor; blue with bronze marked the House of Ravenclaw; pastel yellow and black showed their status as Hufflepuff; green mixed with silver explained their allegiance to Slytherin. There were also rare kids without the four themes, signifying their status as the unsorted first years.

I strolled into the nearby train's cars, dodging people on the way, and climbed up the iron steps. After that, I tried to find the closest compartment and opened the door. I found the compartment wasn't empty. Three little girls had filled one seat, leaving the other one empty for the newcomer.

When I entered the car, their attentions were on me. I smiled faintly to their direction and said: "May I join this compartment, ladies?"

The girls unsurely stared at each other's eyes, silently conversed, before one nodded her head timidly. I took a mental note of her Asian face and from her lack of four colors that signified her allegiance to one of Hogwarts' four houses I could guess who she was. The other girls, a twin, had Indian facial structure, informing me who they were.

Still, I used my ' **Observation** ' skill to glean some information from them and found something like this:

 **Su Li**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **-** **HP** **: 110**

 **-** **MP** **: 1** **9.6**

 **[Strength: 1** **.** **1] [Agility:** **0.** **8] [Mind: 1** **.** **4] [Magic: 1** **.** **4]**

 **\- Details: a half-blood young witch and first year in Hogwarts. Her father is the Ambassador of Magical Chinese in Britain and practitioner of Chinese's ancient mrtial art while her mother is a non-magical. She's timid, silent and shy type girl. But, you know that the silent one is the.** **.** **.**

 **Padma Patil**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **\- Health: 1** **10**

 **\- Willpower: 2** **4**

 **[Strength:** **0.** **9] [Agility:** **0m** **8] [Mind: 1** **.** **5] [Magic: 1** **.** **6]**

 **\- Details: a half-blood witch and first year in Hogwarts. She's the eldest of the Patil twins. Her father is working as the ambassador from Magical India in Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation while her mother is a muggleborn witch graduated from Hogwarts. She's silent and studious type and she'll grow up into dedicated and devoted type. You know what you have to do about this.** **..**

 **Parvati Patil**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **\- HP: 1** **10**

 **-** **MP** **: 1** **2**

 **[Strength:** **0.** **9] [Agility:** **0.** **8] [Mind: 1** **.** **2] [Magic: 1** **.** **0]**

 **\- Details: a half-blood witch and first year in Hogwarts. She's the youngest of the Patil twins. Her father is working as the ambassador from Magical India in Department of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation while her mother is a muggleborn witch graduated from Hogwarts. She's obnoxious and energetic type, in contrast to her elder sister. This girl is a trouble but it won't be a problem because without her, twin set won't perfect!**

Ignoring the suggestive comments in the end of each detail, they were whom I had expected. Still, it was a pleasant surprise to be in one compartment with my future year mates.

"May I lock this door, ladies?" I asked their permission politely.

They did their silent communication again and then Parvati — the boldest one of the three — nodded her head to me. After getting their permission, I levitated my trunk to the iron rack above our head first before I turned my body around to face the door. When I demonstrated my magical prowess because I was too lazy, the girls stared at me in awe.

However, I stopped my plan because there was a girl standing outside of our compartment, anxiously taking a peek inside the room. Our eyes met and I couldn't help but feel a surprise from seeing her. I decided to open the door and let her to step in.

She had an untamed black hair and a fair skin. She had a scrawny and short figure. Her emerald colored eyes were cold and indifferent. Oddly enough, she was wearing an oversized long sleeved shirt and pants that seemed to be secondhand and for males. I didn't need my ' **Observation** ' skill to know who she was.

It was a pleasant surprise to find out Boy-Who-Lived actually didn't exist in this world. On the other hand, the Girl-Who-Lived was in his shoes. I'd found out about it when I took a trip into the Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall and other muggleborns with their parents. Instead of the unofficial Boy Who Lived franchise scattered in the children's section, there was Girl-Who-Lived's.

When I finally used ' **Observation** ' on her, her ' **Stats** ' was shown up in a small screen in front of my eyes.

 **Holly Potter**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-blood)**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **-** **HP** **: 1** **10**

 **-** **MP** **: 1** **00**

 **[Strength: 0** **.7** **] [Agility: 1** **.2** **] [Mind: 1(0** **.** **5+100%)] [Magic: 1** **0** **(** **5** **+100%)]**

 **\- Details: a half-blood witch born from marriage of James and Lily Potter. The Girl Who Lived, an orphan who mistreated and became fate's favorite chew-toy. Introvert girl who is wary of other people, more accurately to males. Oh my, this is going to be a problem, isn't it?**

I couldn't help silently agreeing with the comment of my witty skill. However, I put aside that issue for now and focused my attention on Holly Potter.

"Why are you standing silently like that? If you want to step in, then go." I said calmly, snapping her from her internal debate.

She watched my face warily, like a cornered animal, which tried to find any weakness to leverage. After a short while, she nodded her head faintly and entered the compartment. She unintentionally tried to put a distance between our bodies.

I mentally frowned at that. I knew that the existence of the Girl-Who-Lived had changed everything.

At first, I thought that I could let Harry Potter cleaned Lord Voldemort and his Death Eater problem while I took a slow life as a wizard. In spite of this, I found out there was a Girl-Who-Lived and I felt a sense of crisis I couldn't explain. My hunch was proven correct when my view was on this scrawny little girl.

We (Su, the Patil twin, and I) curiously watched the Girl-Who-Lived. Of course, the girls had yet to know about her identity. Meanwhile, my curiosity to the Girl Who Lived was because I wanted to find out what kind of person she is. When I saw her having problem to put her trunk into the rack above her, I decided to give a hand. However, she backpedaled when our body almost touched. This time I didn't hide my frown.

 _"Something is wrong. Her condition is worse than her male counterpart."_ I took a mental note, before I said loudly, "Calm down girl, I won't bite. I want to help you with your trunk."

The Girl-Who-Lived eyed me distrustfully. Indeed, this was very distressing.

After a short pause, she said: "No need. I can do it alone."

Her tone was clipped, unbefitting her youth. She looked jaded and I could guess the reason.

"Really?" I challenged her.

She nodded her head faintly before she continued to try. Alas, it was proven to be nigh-impossible with her short height and weak muscle strength.

Su and the Patil twin stared at me with imploring look, beckoning me to help her since they knew I could use the 'levitation spell'.

With a sigh that sounded like from an old man instead of a youth, I said the stubborn Girl-Who-Lived: "Just leave your trunk alone. I'll levitate it to the rack. It's painful to see."

The Girl-Who-Lived grunted and threw her body into the empty seat across Su's and the Patil twin's. She was sitting near the window, protecting herself in the proverbial shell she had erected around her.

I levitated her trunk and she watched my action silently. Her face was carefully blank. After that, I turned my head to face her, only to find her throwing away her face from meeting mine. There wasn't even a faint "thank you" from her lips, not like I needed one of course.

After that, I continued my earlier intention to lock the door and put on a locking spell and 'Anti-Alohomora' spell. After everything was settled, I sat down on the empty spot besides the Girl-Who-Lived. She curled further away and tried her best to create a distance between us. I respected her wish and let the space that could be filled with two children between us.

Su and the Patil twin watched what happened curiously. There was a scientific curiosity in Su's and Padma's dark eyes and a wild curiosity in Parvati's eyes. They held back their curiosity because the tension between I and the Girl Who Lived.

Unlike them, I took the tension in the air in stride and took out a copy of 'Magical Theory' from my 'Inventory'.

"Where did that book come from? Is that a kind of magic?" Parvati inquired after she couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer. Su and Padma, and even the reclusive Holly, alternated their views between me and the book in my hand. They were confused and curious but they hold back and let Parvati voiced out their curiosity.

"What do you think?" I returned her question with my own flippant response. The free spirited one of the Patil twin pouted cutely to me, which I ignored easily.

"If you don't want to answer, at least, don't be a jerk! You jerk!" said Parvati.

I cocked my brows at her voiced dissatisfaction and said: "Good grief . . . there's really no way to satisfy woman's desire after all. You call me jerk because I have said that but you'll also call me jerk if I bluntly tell you that I don't want to share about my secret. Either way, you're going to call me jerk, no?"

Parvati deepened her pout then threw her face away from my view.

"Parvati, don't be like that!" Padma, who'd grasped and squeezed her little sister's hand softly, chided her twin sister.

"But, he's a jerk!" replied Parvati petulantly, which made Padma sigh in exasperation.

The eldest of the twin turned her sight on me and apologized for her sister's manner.

"I apologize for my sister. But, where's my manner. My name is Parvati Patil. May I know your name Mister?"

I regarded Padma silently after I raised my face from the book in my hand. Then, I introduced myself to them. "Asmodias Lustburg, but you may call me Dias."

"Then, you may call me Padma." She gestured to her petulant twin and continued, "She's Parvati, my twin sister. And this is . . ."

"Hello, my name is Li Su, surname first before my given name. It is my pleasure to meet you," Su introduced herself when Padma gestured to her.

I nodded my head in acknowledgement.

The Patil twin and Su turned to face Girl-Who-Lived and gave her expectant looks. Knowing she couldn't evade this one, she introduced herself softly, "Holly Potter."

The Patil twin and Su had to gape at that. They immediately tried to find the infamous thunderbolt-shaped scar on her forehead, which was covered by her uneven black bangs.

"What?" Holly questioned with a flat tone that badly contained her annoyance.

Su and Padma seemed to be aware of Holly's discontent and decided to keep silent. However, Parvati was different. The free-spirited one of the twin inquired inconsiderately.

"Are you really? Can I see your — well, the scar?"

Holly frowned deeply and then hesitantly tried to sweep away her front bangs. However, my hand clamped her wiry wrist with an iron-vice like grip. Her body turned frigid immediately and she glared at me heatedly with carefully hidden fear.

"If you don't want to show it — then don't. Don't be easily swayed by other's whim. Don't be a sheep which easily herded around. Who knows, the Shepherd maybe will herd you to a slaughterhouse."

I stared at her emerald eyes impassively. It felt like an eternity yet only a moment passed.

"Hey you jerk! Why did you stop her? I want to see her famous scar!" Parvati complained loudly, breaking the staring contest between Holly and I.

"Because it's a bad manner," I told Parvati with a flat tone.

The youngest of the Patil twin scoffed and sulked in her seat. Meanwhile, her sister gave me an apologetic smile, which I acknowledged with a nod. Then, I returned back to my book.

The girls were discussing about their experience related to magic. Mostly, it was their accidental magic. When Su and the Patil twin questioned Holly, the Girl-Who-Lived replied curtly and maintained her distance. She was one stubborn girl. Then, the discussion broached the subject of the Houses in Hogwarts and what they wished to join in. They, even Holly who answered with a soft, curt tone, had shared a strong resistant against Slytherin.

"So, what House you will join later?" Padma decided to get my opinion after a while.

"Sis, why are you asking this jerk!" Parvati rudely admonished her twin, but her sister gave her a look that shut her up. She sulked and glared at me resentfully.

I looked up from my book and regarded the studious Indian witch silently. I contemplated my answer for a moment.

"I think I lean more to Ravenclaw," I said.

I decided to elaborate my choice when I saw their curious looks, bar Parvati who was still showing her resentment to me.

"Ravenclaw — the house of wits and smarts, just from their motto, at least this house should be filled with studious people and bookworms. With that in mind, I'm sure that I can get my in due peace. Of course, I also heard the house has been degraded into house for children with excess curiosity, which frankly can be very annoying. Compared to . . . let's say, Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, which is filled with more noisy kids and scheming little gremlin in the Slytherin's case, Ravenclaw is more appealing in my eyes. Furthermore, knowing Rowena Ravenclaw, I hope she'll prepare a private room, or at last a less crowded room in comparison to other houses' dorm where it needed to be shared by four people, for her house's members, so they can study without any disturbance and focus on their academic more."

"How do you know about that?" Su inquired with interest. It was the second time she directed her voice to me.

"From here and there," I replied vaguely.

Su pouted before she said: "You like to act mysterious, are you not?"

"I'm not trying to be mysterious or anything. It's just that I dislike talking nonsense and wasting my time when I can spend it for something productive instead."

"You're very strange. You act unlike children at our age." Su mused loudly, which the Patil twin agreed with silent nods.

Then, Parvati chimed in. "And you're also a jerk."

"Nobody asked your opinion," I retorted back easily.

After that, I pulled myself out of the girls' discussion. When I listened to their discussion subtly and found they were discussing some menial things, I decided to focus on my book. I was also aware of how Holly eavesdropped into our conversation since a while ago.

Suddenly, my ' **Presence** **Detection** ' skill warned me of the group of girls. I didn't know who they are, but they stopped outside of one compartment after another, as if they were searching for someone.

I discreetly glanced to Girl-Who-Lived direction and our eyes accidentally met. No, it wasn't an incident since I was aware of her glance because of my ' **Presence** **Detection** '. Holly shifted her eyes away, trying to not meet mine. I took her reaction in stride and mused in my head.

 _"If Harry Potter is a girl, there is a chance that his archrival, Draco Malfoy, is also a girl in this twisted reality. I can't imagine Draco as a girl. Will she look like a younger version of Helen McCrory? Who knows — At least, Lord Voldemort is still a Dark Lord, and not a Dark Lady. That feels so wrong by the way."_

The group of girls stopped outside of our compartment and one tried to open the door forcefully. Too bad, I had charmed the door with locking charm, staked together with Anti-Alohomora charm and the transfigured doorknob. Except one blasted the door open, it would stay unmoving until I undid the enchantment and transfiguration.

"Whom you think is in the other side?" Parvati inquired to her sister, who replied with a wordless shrug. When she tried to sweep away the veil that coveted the door, I stopped her and shook my head.

"A trouble. Just leave them alone," I explained with a soft volume as she gave me an annoyed yet inquisitive stare.

Parvati turned her head around to look at the other girls in the compartment, who replied her silent question with wordless shrugs (Su and Padma) and indifference (Holly). With a huff that spelt her annoyance, Parvati returned back to her seat and continued her chat with Su and Padma.

After that, nothing significant happened along the way. There were moments where I needed to undo and reapply the charms and transfiguration on the door because the ladies needed to visit the toilet a few times and a moment when the lady who sold magical snacks in the train arrived outside of our compartment.

Surprisingly, Holly bought everything in the trolley with her fist-full galleons and offered the spare to the girls with a soft tone. Although she also shared the snack with me, I wished she said something.

Her treatment between boy and girls was clearly biased.

* * *

When the red and gold colored train arrived in Hogsmeade station, the sky had turned dark. The girls had changed into their respective plain school robes.

Earlier, when they wanted to change, they had kicked me out of the compartment, much to my chagrin. Fortunately, I needed only to put on the hooded black cloak and the plain black tie since I had worn the plain white, long sleeved shirt and a pair of black pants.

Speaking of the child hero staying together with us, she had changed into her uniform in the washroom and to tell you the truth she looked more presentable in that apparel.

The girls' uniform consisted of a long sleeved, white shirt, miniskirts that stopped above the knees and a black cloak with a hood. For personal touch, they donned either stockings or shocks to keep their legs warm.

"What are we waiting for?" Parvati questioned me when I stayed in my spot while the other first years climbed down.

I could hear Rubeus Hagrid's loud, booming voice, calling the first years to follow him.

"Let's wait behind. It's dark outside and better to keep a distance from the crowd."

The girls conceded.

I was curious why they followed my words so far. We only became acquaintances this morning.

I decided to put that question aside and undid the charm and transfiguration on the door.

Since the car had become empty, we had enough space to move easily. We then climbed down the iron steps and immediately joined the crowd of the first years. The moment we joined, Hagrid waved his hand to our direction — to Holly to be precise. Then, he herded us to the Black Lake and we followed the keeper of the ground from the further back row, slightly separated from the crowd.

The moment Hagrid pulled boats and asked us to enter with four people in a boat, we decided to climb into the last boat since we had met the quota of passengers. There were already three girls and a boy, four people in total. I helped the Patil twin climbed up to the boat, though Parvati seemed to have a problem with it. Meanwhile, Holly tried her hardest to keep her distance from me. It was when she almost dropped in the lake that I grabbed her and pulled her light body into the boat.

I took a mental note that her reaction was better than the first time I touched her. At least, she didn't freeze but she had instinctively tried to pull her hand from my grip.

After we were settled in the boat, she eyed me with a blank, curious look. I decided to ignore her look and waited for the view of Hogwarts castle. As I had expected, it was different from watching the movie. There was a sense of reality in this surreal experience. It had more 'Omph' element.

 **Hogwarts Castle**

 **Rank: Phantasm**

 **Durability:**

 **\- Castle: 9,821/10,000**

 **\- Wards: 999,571/1,000,000**

 **Details: a magical castle that had become semi-sentient because the ambience of Mana in it for more than a thousand years. Boasted impenetrable magical defense from outside, albeit it was quite fragile from inside, it is the master piece of the four founders (Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin). If you are inside, don't forget to check the broom closets or empty class rooms after the curfews were closed. You may find interesting views. . .**

The dirty comment aside, I was amazed by the durability of this magical castle. More than million points for durability if combined, this was the highest number I had seen yet.

Shortly afterwards, we moved out of the boat and followed Hagrid to the castle entrance. We stopped on the stone floor while we waited for Hagrid. The groundskeeper knocked the heavy double door with a thunderous sound. Soon, the doors were opened from inside and Professor McGonagall showed herself.

This time, she wore a dark green witch robe and pointy hat that was the mainstream. Talk about the cliché.

After exchanging words with Hagrid, Professor McGonagall herded us to the entrance of Great Hall.

We were left alone before the closed heavy double doors. At this point, the restless children started to make disturbances. They tried to smoother their anxiety from the unknown method of sorting. The anxiety became more palpable in the air when a kid, whom I believed to be Ronald Weasley from his freckled face, red hair and tall height, said how new students needed to wrestle the troll in the sorting.

That was a lie or a prank from Ronald's mischievous twin brothers, but the effect had already spread.

The uppity pureblood children scoffed and ridiculed Ron to calm themselves, Hermione began to recount her list of memorized spells and even the unflappable Holly showed her clear anxiety.

"Don't worry, the sorting is harmless, but all your secrets are going to be found out."

I didn't know why I tried to soothe the girls' anxiety but I had blurted it out. Maybe, their anxiety annoyed me or maybe I felt pity to them. With the effect of the 'Gamer's Mind', I couldn't understand what I felt because my own emotion was always in a calm state.

"What do you mean by that?"

It was the first time Holly directed her voice to me. She stared at me intensely and demanded an answer with her frigid emerald eyes.

Su and the Patil twin also focused their attention on me.

"The sorting uses a magical artifact that can read the sorted person's mind. Mind Reading is a branch of witchcraft and wizardry, and this Mind Art to read other's mind is called Legillimency . From your memory and traits that not even you are aware of the artifact will short you into one of the four houses. Of course, you can choose where you're going to live for next seven years if you have more than one choice. The different trait will let you be sorted into the house and these traits are courage and righteousness for Gryffindor, inquisitiveness and wits for Ravenclaw, ambitious and cunningness for Slytherin and loyalty and hard-worker for Hufflepuff."

"How do you know about this again? And don't answer with something vague, Mister!" said Su Li.

I leaked a helpless sigh at that and answered with another lie.

"From Hogwarts' alumnus I have met in the past."

Su and the Patil twin seemed content at my answer and their anxiety had been smothered by my words. Parvati looked at me with appraising eyes while she nodded her head.

"It seems you're not only a jerk. At last you're a smart jerk." She finished her insult(?)/praise(?) with showing of her tongue at me in a very childish manner.

They seemed uncaring to the underlying threat of something like Mind Reading magic, or maybe they already knew about it and had one or two tricks under their sleeve to deal with it.

For me, I have my 'Gamer's Mind' and it gave me invulnerability to any psychological attack such as compulsion, memory charm, Legillimency, love or loyalty potions

"Mind Reading . . ."

I caught Holly's soft tone. Her expression showed how alarmed she was.

Then, our eyes met and I could see her hesitancy before she looked at me resolutely and asked a question.

"Do you know away to find if someone's reading your mind or messing up with your head?"

I opened my mouth but I couldn't voice out the answer I prepared because the loud shriek from the front row. Our attentions were taken by that and we turned our head to the front row, only to find gaseous floating ghosts coming out from the stone wall.

The children who had never seen ghost before seemed fascinated and afraid by the ghosts. Fortunately, the ghost of Hufflepuff, whose name was Fat Friar, was a kind ghost and wasn't like a certain Poltergeist. The ghost said something to the kid in the front row before McGonagall arrived and drove the ghost away.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_

 _ **Chapter was fixed at August 18th, 2018**_


	4. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1stYear (03)

The moment Professor McGonagall returned, one by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

We followed Professor McGonagall like sheep followed their shepherd and walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

The magnificent hall of Hogwarts was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that we came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at us looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History' _._ "

I heard the hushed whisper and my memory provided me with something similar from the movies. I immediately knew who it was — Hermione Granger.

When I watched the bewitched ceiling, it was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. My attention then moved to the teachers in the elevated tables, separated from the students from the Four Houses. I immediately spammed my **'Observation'** skill to them one by one.

 **Albus Dumbledore** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard (Half-Blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a half-blood wizard and current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly, he is also the Supreme Mugwumps and Magical Britain's Representative in International Confederation of Wizard. Hailed as the Paragon of light because of his kindness and benevolence, but beware not to be alone in a same room as him, or you ass's chastity is in mortal peril! Just look at his twinkling eyes, he has interest for you in that way!**

 **Filius Flitwick** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard/Goblin (Half-Blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a part-wizard, part-goblin who is the alumnus of Ravenclaw House and its current head, he is Charms Professor with eccentric personality. Although he's short, don't take him lightly because his war mongering blood of goblins is very thick!**

 **Severus Snape** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard (Half-Blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a half-blood wizard and alumnus of Slytherin House, he is the Potion Professor as well as the Head of Slytherin House. Inactive Death Eater who hated noisy children with passion, and yet he worked as a Professor in a school full of children. Beware of him! He is very, very spiteful man.**

 **Pomona Sprouts** **  
** **\- Race: Witch (Half-Blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a half-blood witch and alumnus of Hufflepuff House, she is the Herbology Professor as well as the Head of Hufflepuff House. She is akin to second mother figure to her charges because her fairness, thoughtfulness and kindness as the head of her house. Be careful from being smothered by her! Don't forget to give her diet product as early Christmas present!**

 **Bathsheda Babbling** **  
** **\- Race: Witch (Half-blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a half-blood witch and alumnus of Ravenclaw House, she is the Study of Ancient Runes Professor. A single witch who loves Ancient Runes so much, let's show her the bliss of having man to accompany her!**

 **Septima Vector** **  
** **\- Race: Witch** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: A pureblood witch and alumnus of Ravenclaw House, she is the Arithmancy Professor. She is a widower whose husband was killed in the previous war against Voldemort because his muggleborn status. Give her company, my boy! She has been alone for such a long time!**

 **Aurora Sinistra** **  
** **\- Race: Witch** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: A Pure-blood witch and alumnus of Slytherin House, she is the Astronomy Professor of Hogwarts. Look at that lovely figure — don't forget to drag her into a broom closet once before you graduate! Make papa proud, son!**

 **Rolanda Hooch** **  
** **\- Race: Witch** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a pureblood witch and alumnus of Gryffindor House, she is the Flying Instructor. She's a Quidditch fanatic and don't let her babbling about Quidditch before you.**

 **Rubeus Hagrid** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard/Giant (Half-Blood)** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- HP: ?** **  
** **\- MP: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: the gentle halfbreed of giant and wizard, his father was an insignificant wizard while his mother is the most vicious and dangerous giantess — Fridwulfa, he is the groundskeeper of Hogwarts after he was expulsed fifty years ago because someone had framed him. Speaking of which, how the heck his daddy did it with a** _ **freakin'**_ **female giant?**

And finally, the main antagonist of this year:

 **Name: Quirinus Quirrell (Tom Riddle)** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard/Wraith** **  
** **\- Level: ?(?)** **  
** **\- HP: ?(?)** **  
** **\- MP: ?(?)** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a Half-blood wizard and the current Defense Against the Dark Art Professor, he is cowardly man who is afraid of his own shadow. The reason behind his paranoia seems coming from his travel into Albania, and from his smell which reeked garlic, his fears steam from Albanian Vampire or Ghoul or Inferi. There is more than what he appears to be! Beware of him because he has literal eyes on the back of his head!**

Putting aside the crazy — and perverted — comment in the end of each one's information, nothing new could be found by me.

I couldn't find Poppy Pomfrey the Mediwitch, Sybill Trelawney the Fraud Seer, Irma Pince the Librarian, Silvanus Kettleburn the Care of Magical Creature Professor, the new Muggle Study professor and Cuthbert Bins — the last was obviously the sole undead teacher in this school. Standing in the corner was Argus Flinch and his cat familiar — Mrs. Norris.

I quickly looked away as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:

 _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_ **  
** _But don't judge on what you see,_ **  
** _I'll eat myself if you can find_ **  
** _A smarter hat than me._ **  
** _You can keep your bowlers black,_ **  
** _Your top hats sleek and tall,_ **  
** _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_ **  
** _And I can cap them all._ **  
** _There's nothing hidden in your head_ **  
** _The Sorting Hat can't see,_ **  
** _So try me on and I will tell you_ **  
** _Where you ought to be._ **  
** _You might belong in Gryffindor,_ **  
** _Where dwell the brave at heart,_ **  
** _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_ **  
** _Set Gryffindors apart;_ **  
** _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_ **  
** _Where they are just and loyal,_ **  
** _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_ **  
** _And unafraid of toil;_ **  
** _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_ **  
** _If you've a ready mind,_ **  
** _Where those of wit and learning,_ **  
** _Will always find their kind;_ **  
** _Or perhaps in Slytherin_ **  
** _You'll make your real friends,_ **  
** _Those cunning folk use any means_ **  
** _To achieve their ends._ **  
** _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_ **  
** _And don't get in a flap!_ **  
** _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_ **  
** _For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"It seems you're right — we've just got to try on the hat!" Su, who was standing before me, whispered back. I nodded my head at that while I kept my mouth shut. As a side note, I could feel Holly's alarmed and distressed look digging a hole on my back. But, I wouldn't start a conversation with her if she didn't begin it herself.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause — "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. I saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Brown, Lavender!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

And the girlish little girl became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The sorting continued. And now it was the muggleborn I knew from the trip to Diagon Alley.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. And someone else — Ronald Weasley — in the line groaned. It seemed there was a small history between the two in Hogwarts Express.

"Li, Su!"

Su looked back at me and grinned. It was a nervous grin and quite palpable whatsoever. I gave a comforting nod to the Asian girl and she left after she took a deep breath.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat and Su scuttled to the blue and bronze themed house.

I caught the view of older Asian girl greeted the new Ravenclaw. _"Cho Chang,"_ my mind supplied with an answer. And yet, I still used my 'Observation' to get more detail.

 **Cho Chang** **  
** **\- Race: Witch (Half-blood)** **  
** **\- Level: 12** **  
** **\- HP: 120** **  
** **\- MP: 22.4** **  
** **[Strength:10] [Agility: 1.2] [Mind: 1.4] [Magic: 1.6]** **  
** **\- Details: a half-blood witch with Asian ancestry, the daughter of Caucasian muggle father and Asian witch mother, she's the second year student of Ravenclaw House and aspiring to be a House's Quidditch's Seeker. Snatch her before the glittering vampire wannabe snatched her first!**

"Is that a twilight reference?"

"What's it?" inquired Parvati from her position before me.

I shook my head dismissively and said: "Nothing."

"Jerk!" She pouted and threw her face away from my view.

The Sorting continued and at the moment was Neville Longbottom's turn. He fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter.

And finally, my turn came.

"Lustburg, Asmodias!"

When I stepped to the stool with a tattered hat lying innocently on top of it, I could feel my anxiety surged up and was smothered by the wave of calmness quickly thereafter. It had become the heated war of invading anxiety and defending calmness that was exclusively happening in my head. My face was hiding my internal turmoil as I walked closer. With a faint calming breathing, I took a resolute step into the chair of judgement.

I sat down on the stool after McGonagall took the hat away. Then, my view was covered by darkness and the stink smell invaded my nose, as Professor McGonagall dropped the millennia old artefact on my head. I waited patiently for a moment, waiting for the hat's voice in my head. But, much to my surprise, and everyone in the Great Hall, the hat cursed loudly.

"Bloody hell! What kind of Occlumency barrier is this? Child, can you put down your Occlumency so I can do my job quickly?"

I sat silently, rooted on my spot, as I digested the hat's words. Both relief and curiosity assaulted my mind before my 'Gamer's Mind' crushed them ruthlessly until only steady calmness remained in my head.

I could hear the painful silence in the Great Hall before the hushed whisper filled the Hallowed Hall. I contemplated my answer for a while then I replied the hat with soft tone.

"Sorry, I don't know. Actually, I don't know that there's something like that in my head."

"Is that so? Well, this is most interesting case I'd since I was created by the founder. With the magic from Leylines under the castle, I should have enough power to breach any kind of mental barrier. Oh well, at least, this is a welcome change for once."

The hat paused. I could feel the proverbial gear in its mind — if the hat has it — rotated. A moment later, the hat continued where it stopped earlier, "Right, since normal sorting is impossible for you then I'll give you a questionnaire to get you sorted into. Are you ready, lad?"

I nodded my head softly, and the Question and Answer session happened. The questionnaire was a bit nonsensical in my opinion, but I couldn't say it loudly. I didn't know if I could get the house I wanted with this seemingly random questionnaire from the hat.

"Dawn or Dusk, what's your choice?"

"Dawn?"

"Once every century, the Flutterby bush produces flowers that adapt their scent to attract the unwary. If it lured you, it would smell of: A crackling log fire, Fresh parchment, Home, or the sea."

After a bit of contemplation, I answered with "Fresh Parchment" because it sounded Ravenclaw-ish.

"One of your house mates has cheated in a Hogwarts exam by using a Self-Spelling Quill. Now he has come top of the class in Charms, beating you into second place. Charms Professor is suspicious of what happened. He draws you to one side after his lesson and asks you whether or not your classmate used a forbidden quill. What do you do?"

It paused for a moment before said the long choices "First, lie and say you don't know — but hope that somebody else tells Charms Professor the truth. Second, tell Charms Professor that he ought to ask your classmate — and resolve to tell your classmate that if he doesn't tell the truth, you will. Third, tell Charms Professor the truth. If your classmate is prepared to win by cheating, he deserves to be found out. Also, as you are both in the same house, any points he loses will be regained by you, for coming first in his place. And the fourth, you would not wait to be asked to tell Charms Professor the truth. If you knew that somebody was using a forbidden quill, you would tell the teacher before the exam started."

After a longer than my first contemplation, I answered with "Second — Tell Charms Professor the truth" in a level tone.

"You enter an enchanted garden. What would you be most curious to examine first? First — the silver leafed tree bearing golden apples. Second — the fat red toadstools that appear to be talking to each other. Third — the bubbling pool, in the depths of which something luminous is swirling. Fourth — the statue of an old wizard with a strangely twinkling eye."

"The silver leafed tree! I mean, a golden apple sounds suspiciously like the Apple of Immortality in Greek myth, right?"

"An interesting answer, Mister Lustburg. . . with the next quiz! What kind of instrument most pleases your ear? The violin; the trumpet; the piano; the drum."

"The piano!"

"After you have died, what would you most like people to do when they hear your name? Ask for more stories about your adventures. Think with admiration of your achievements. Miss you, but smile. I don't care what people think of me after I'm dead."

My answer was stalled for a moment. Both second and fourth answers sounded correct to me. But, my answer was "Think with admiration of your achievements" after I remembered I was nothing in my previous life.

"A Muggle confronts you and says that they are sure you are a witch or wizard. Do you: Agree, and walk away, leaving them to wonder whether you are bluffing? Ask what makes them think so. Tell them that you are worried about their mental health. Agree, and ask whether they'd like a free sample of a jinx?"

"Tell them that you are worried about their mental health."

"Alright — the last quiz! Which pet would you choose to take with you into Hogwarts? Tabby cat, Siamese cat, Ginger cat, Black cat, Whitecat, Tawny owl, Screech owl, Brown owl, Snowy owl, Barn owl, Common toad, Natterjack toad, Dragon Toad, Harlequin toad and finally — Three toed tree toad. Choose one!"

"Black cat sounds good, but owl seems more useful. Unfortunately Snowy Owl is too eye catching and Screech Owl is too noisy. Either Tawny or Barn owl, I think."

In the end, the hat only questioned me with eight quizzes. Then, it declared "RAVENCLAW!" to my delight. The blue and bronze themed house gave a boisterous applause because the arrival of unique individual such as me. It wasn't like I'm being narcissistic, but like the hat had stated, I was peculiar because my 'Gamer's Mind' blocked its attempt to invade my mind.

There.

She was standing on the further back behind the Patil twin and currently watching me. Our eyes met and she moved her views away thereafter. I smiled dryly at that and continued to stride to the Ravenclaw's table. Arriving, I sat down next to Su Li.

"That . . . was interesting Mister Lustburg. You're quite a mysterious first year, are you not?" said Cho Chang the moment I sat down next to Su, while leaving a space for Padma because she would join us later.

"Excuse me? May you grace me with your name?" I said politely to Cho.

"Charmed!" She smiled slightly, flattered, before she introduced herself "My surname is Chang, Cho is my given name. You may call me Cho, _gentlewizard_."

"Asmodias Lustburg — but you may call me Dias."

Then, Su butted in, whispering, "Your guess about our dorm was slightly amiss. We don't get our own personal room but there was two people in a room" to me. On the side, Cho Chang only tittered merrily at that.

"Better than four-in-one, yes?" I whispered controversially.

"True enough, I suppose."

Su nodded and pulled back her head. Afterwards, we focused on the sorting as it continued. It was Malfoy's turn. I couldn't help but to smile dryly when my eyes locked on haughty girl with pale blond hair adorned with emerald green hairband and cold grey eyes that were looking down on everyone else.

 **Lyra Malfoy** **  
** **\- Race: Witch** **  
** **\- Level: 11** **  
** **\- HP: 110** **  
** **\- Mpr: 19.6** **  
** **[Strength: 0.9] [Agility: 1.0] [Mind: 1.4] [Magic: 1.4]** **  
** **\- Details: a pureblood witch, the daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, she's haughty, proud and a snobbish girl who born with silver spoon on her mouth. Although she is kind of a bitchy, she will grow up into a real looker! Don't let her slip away, my manly user!**

Malfoy gilded forward when her name was called and the hat had barely touched her head when it screamed "SLYTHERIN!"

She went to join her already sorted friends Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bullstrode, looking pleased with herself. There weren't many people left now.

"Moon" . . . , "Nott" . . . , "Parkinson" . . . , then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" who surprisingly sorted into Ravenclaw. . . , then "Perks, Sally-Anne" . . . , and then, at last—

"Potter, Holly!"

As Holly stepped forward, while sending a conflicted look to my direction, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

I gave her a small nod and faint smile, trying to comfort and give the reclusive girl courage she needed. However, she threw her face away and walked to the stool hurriedly. I could only smile helplessly at that. That girl sure had a problem with her opposite sex but I wouldn't breach the subject if she wanted to keep it private.

The moment Holly Potter sat on the stool, the hat dropped over her eyes. The Great Hall lulled into tense silence as everyone waited for the sorting to come out. With my sharp eyesight, I could read Holly's body language perfectly. She was nervous, anxious and a bit fearful.

A moment later, "RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.

Everyone froze as the sorting came out unexpected. I was also in the same boat as the others.

 _"Why? She should've been in Gryffindor?"_ my curious part roared in my mind, but my rational part smothered it with _"Well, this is not the canon! Look at her — she is a girl, she's Girl-Who-Lived, NOT Boy-Who-Lived. This kind of outcome is in due, y'know!"_

I watched the Girl-Who-Lived took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Ravenclaw table. And at that moment, the Ravenclaw's table broke into massive applause and loud cheers. Even the usually subdued bookworms was relishing in the glory of being in same house as the Girl Who Loved. Holly seems like she hardly noticed that she was getting the loudest cheer yet. Penelope Clearwater the Prefect got up and shook her hand vigorously, while some more energetic of the bookworms shouted, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Holly stopped behind Su and Padma and softly said "May I sit between you two?" to them. The studious one of the Patil twin and the Asian witch looked to each other's eyes silently before they agreed. "Sure!" they said and scuttled to the sides, and Padma forced my still body to move. I frowned slightly before schooled my face immediately afterward.

The sorting process continued but my attention was elsewhere, namely Holly Potter. The poor girl was bombarded by her curious, new housemates. The questions didn't come from only the first years, bar Padma, Su and I, but also from the upper years that were sitting closely to her.

The less observant boys and girls kept disturbing her and asking her their questions, but those who were observant know Holly's patience was at the limit. However, they didn't dissuade the curious questioners because they were also curious to the Girl Who Lived. It was a surprise that the Girl Who Lived was sorted into Ravenclaw. I wasn't spared by this surprise either way.

Many had expected her to join the house of Lions, but the outcome was different than their expectations. I had closely watched other people's reaction to this sorting; the upper years in Gryffindor were showing disbelieving expression — they had expected Holly to be one of them because her parents were alumni of the Lion House; the Slytherin displayed reaction that showed their controversial speculations and how they could benefit from this information; the Slytherin House's Head — Severus Snape — surprisingly showed a deep thoughtful look when his dark eyes locked on Holly; and Albus Dumbledore looked at Holly — twinkles in his eyes behind his half-moon spectacles go on full throttle.

Everyone else's reaction was basically a curiosity to the one who was oblivious to the attention gathered on her.

Shortly thereafter, the noisy children were being stubborn in interrogating the reclusive girl. Padma and Su seemed aware of Holly's state, but they were maintaining their silence because of the peer pressure. Asking them to stop the noisy children from bothering Holly was too much for them, as I expected.

A sigh which was unsuited for a youth escaped my lips. I summoned my wand from my Inventory and waved my arms widely in front of me. Inwardly, I focused my intent to shut up these noisy children. My MP decreased by 100MP, it was one-tenth from how it should have been and it's because the effect of my wand.

When I had observed my wand in the past, the information I got was like this:

 **Name: 10¼" Cherrywood and Dragon Heartstring wand** **  
** **Rarity: Unique** **  
** **Durability: 100/100** **  
** **Crafted by Garrick Ollivander, a wand with 10 ¼" length, made from cherry wood and with core from Dragon Heartstring, it is very temperamental that is very dangerous to use. Only wizard or witch with perfect control of one's emotion can get this wand allegiance. This wand will reduce MP consumption by 90% and increase experience gain for Charm by 250%**

The Ravenclaw's table turned silence in blink of the eyes. The noisy children were still moving their mouth until they realized they couldn't listen to their own voice.

What happened in there took the whole Great Hall's attention. All eyes were now on me. Even the boy who walked to the stool — Blaise Zabini — stopped to find what happened.

I cleared my throat calmly before I said: "Sorry for going heavy-wanded on all of you but it seems you dunderheads can't understand that your incessant questionings almost drive our dear Miss Potter, over there" I jerked my chin to Holly's direction, "to commit something that I believe she'll regret later. Do I only the one who realizes she has almost snapped? And yes Miss Potter, I know about that and stop looking at me like I'm an unidentified magical animal."

I returned back my attention from Holly who stared at me blankly to my unwilling housemates who glared murderously at me. I gave them the look that I used to control the unruly children in orphanage and it wasn't a simple 'be silent, listen well, or I'll spank you buttocks until they swell' kind of look but a 'be silent, be obedient or I'll grind your body into a mincemeat before I use them as fertilizer' kind of look.

The effect was spectacular since this look was backed with effect of my 'Intimidation'skill which had reached level 78.

Speaking of 'Intimidation' skill, the details were like this:

 **[Intimidation (Active) Level: 78 (31.9%)]: Release your domineering presence to restrain other's will.** **  
** **Effect(s):** **  
** **\- 78% successfully overpower the user's target's will.** **  
** **\- 39% rate in overpowering user's target will if the target's level is above the user.**

I continued where I stopped earlier.

"I don't have problem if you wish to get your curiosity sated. I'm not someone who's usually butting my head into other's business, but what are you doing is disturbing other, and I don't have problem to voice out my complaints, even being heavy-wanded. Being curious is good for children. But, don't be insensitive. Won't you feel angry if you're being forced to do something you don't want to? Respect other first if you want to be respected by other."

I watched the chastised boys and girls around me — they were bowing their head and their ears were red. Those who weren't the target of my ire seemed to be enjoying the show very much.

"If you want to interview Miss Potter, do it later. Now, I have already wasted these wizards' and witches' time already and this won't happen if you show a bit more restrain and use your wits that're traits of our noble house." I turned my attention to others and apologized formally. "Please forgive me for wasting your precious time. Professor McGonagall, you may continue where you're interrupted."

I sat down and took out the copy of 'Magical Theory' from my robe. Of course, I took it from my inventory and my action was to cover it. I began reading from my latest mark with calm face like still water.

Inwardly, I was writhing in agony because I had done something like that. My habit from reining the troublesome children in orphanage returned back with vengeance and it happened before I could stop it. If not for my trustworthy 'Gamer's Mind', I was one hundred percent sure that my face had become red like boiled crab now. There was also other element mixed in, such as how I had accidentally offended the pureblood scion because my recklessness. But, I didn't fear them whatsoever.

Then, I heard a clapping sound. When I turned to the sound origin, I saw it was Headmaster Dumbledore. His twinkling eyes were watching me deeply, as if he was looking into my soul. The second clapping came from Professor Flitwick and soon the applause spread. Even the uppity pureblood in Slytherin house seemed to be impressed by what happened.

"Bloody hell! My dear less handsome twin brother! Do you see _that_?!"

"Of course, my uglier twin brother! It seems that there is a lion in raven's feather!"

"Or maybe a lion with wings!"

"Or wings on a lion's back!"

I could hear the Weasley twin's loud jests from Gryffindor's table. The agony I felt inside turned worse. I wanted to create a hole magically and buried myself as soon as possible, but my 'Gamer's Mind' crushed my embarrassment and desire to do it. In the middle of the loud applause, I heard Padma whispered to me with awed voice.

"Holly said thanks."

My face contorted into a bemused expression but I returned it back to my poker-face shortly thereafter and nodded wordlessly. After that, the sorting finished.

I slipped my book into my robe to keep it inside my 'Inventory'. The whole Great Hall's attention was now on the Headmaster. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. When his eyes swept the student, he lingered on me and Holly for a bit longer. I understood about Holly, but his look at me was another thing.

As I thought, my reckless action from before was going the source of my headache.

"Welcome!" said Headmaster Dumbledore. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He then sat back down.

Everybody clapped and cheered. Some muggleborn who never knew anything about Albus Dumbledore looked at him as if he was barmy old man.

I took everything in stride and decided to fill my stomach with the meal presented on the table. After the sorting feast, we were herded to the Ravenclaw's tower by Penelope Clearwater and a male perfect called Anderson Raincrust. Surprisingly, Padma, Su and Holly followed me closely.

I didn't think deeply about it and enjoyed the sightseeing as we walked to our destination. Soon, we arrived in the entrance of our new place for next seven years, which I knew wouldn't be easy.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Chapter was fixed at August 18th, 2018**_


	5. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1stYear (04)

My body moved abruptly as my ' **Danger Detection** ' skill alerted me of the incoming attack from behind, less than a second before a sharp point of 'spear' skewered me. The alert was appreciated but I had sensed the hidden presence a long time ago with the help of my 'Presence Detection' skill.

A moment later, the hairy 'spear' stabbed the empty air where my torso was a second earlier. My hand — gripping my wand — moved and an unspoken keyword appeared in the tip of my tongue. The keyword was held from being voiced loudly. The tip of my wand then lit with luminescent red color before gout of scorching flame was spewed out.

Annoying shriek came from behind, telling me that I had harmed my assailant. However, it wasn't enough. There wasn't a notice about my assailant's death yet.

I stopped my silent 'Incendio' charm and rolled my body forward, unheeding of the dirty ground below. I immediately turned my body around, facing my assailant, and pointed my wand forwards. Then, I calmly intoned: "Bombarda Maxima!"

The colorless light left my wand, assaulting my assailant — a gargantuan spider as big as a fully grown horse — before the monster that seemingly came out of a nightmare was blasted out from the inside out.

I hastily erected a colorless barrier in front of me as I tried to protect myself from the gore, venom and unknown body fluids that scattered in the air. My shield charm held on steadily for a moment until the rain of gore stopped.

 **Fatal Hit!** **  
** **You killed Acromantula Level: 21** **  
** **You gained Acromantula's Silk Shack (Medium) and Poison Shack (Medium)** **  
** **You gained 30Exp**

Attacking the magic resistant carapace of the monstrous spider was a fool errand. It was why I melted its carapace first with the intense heat from the 'Incendio' spell.

I crouched silently, being alert for another ambush. Surprisingly, the hidden presences didn't jump in like the latest monstrous spider that had been turned into mincemeat by yours truly. They scuttled away, ran away from me — their new nightmare.

However, I wouldn't let my prey flee easily.

I guided the mysterious energy in me to my feet, reinforcing my muscle, bones, tissues, etc. Subsequently, I dashed to the closest running beast.

From then on, I whipped my wand and sent gout of a magical flame to melt the magic resistant carapace that covered its body. It shrieked horribly. I ignored its haunting shriek and stopped my spell after my goal was completed. I then sent another powerful blasting hex to the monster before me.

 **Fatal Hit!** **  
** **You killed Acromantula Level: 19** **  
** **You gained Acromantula's Silk Shack (Small) and Poison Shack (Small)** **  
** **You gained 10Exp**

There were three beasts left but they were being smart by dispersing in this dark, thick forest. I frowned at that.

After a short contemplation, I decided to follow the closest beast. I ran after it with my 'reinforcement' still active. In a few seconds, I could see its hairy body scuttling hurriedly in terror because of my presence. Without mercy, I repeated what I did to its brethren; melt its carapace and blast its body into chunks of gore.

 **Fatal Hit!** **  
** **You killed Acromantula Level: 24** **  
** **You gained Acromantula's Silk Shack (Medium) and Poison Shack (Medium)** **  
** **You gained 70Exp**

 **Congratulation! You leveled up to level 20** **  
** **You got 5 Stat Points** **  
** **Your HP, MP and negative status effects are healed from level up!**

I sighed softly and dismissed the prompts. Next, I opened my 'Status Window' to check my current 'Stats'.

 **Asmodias Lustburg** **  
** **\- Race: Wizard** **  
** **\- Title(s):** **[** **Gamer] [Locked] [Locked] [Locked]** **  
** **\- Level: 20 — 0.2% to next level** **  
** **\- HP: 200** **  
** **\- MP: 8288** **  
** **[Strength: 6.4] [Agility: 5.4] [Mind: 14.8(9.8+5)] [Magic: 56(1+5+50)** **]  
** **Miscellaneous:  
** **[Stat Points: 100]**

Nothing significant had changed, as I had expected. The level up process only gave me 5pts to be used to raise 'Statistic Attributes' freely. However, I left the 'Stat Points' alone because I felt it would be a waste if I used them now.

Mouthing a silent 'Tempus', I casted the time spell and found it was almost three in the morning. I dismissed both the spell and the screen and looked around the thick foliage of trees.

Forbidden Forest — I thought this place would give me a good farming place to grind my level. Much to my dismay, the magical creatures that could be massacred for Exp in this place was only a few.

In this forest, Acromantula was the main Exp source for me but after I farmed all available Exp source here, namely the Acromantulas, I could feel the high-levelled ones had become hard to find or they might hide deep in their nest.

It was impossible to tackle Aragog the Acromantula's Queen's nest with my current level. Other than the high-levelled Acromantulas, there was also a mortal peril from being swarmed by the colony of vermin.

"Should I move to the Black Lake next?" I mused softly under my breath. After contemplating for a moment, I realized it was 50/50. I didn't know any spell that could help me in aquatic battle yet. Then, I continued in my mind: _"Still, there is Library to consider as a source of my skills."_

I put aside that thoughts for a now and shifted my attention to other issues I had. _"Today's the Halloween, meaning Quirrellmort will make his move. Knowing what will happen, or I suppose — should have happened — I am torn between letting Granger being in mortal peril, or help her before she is cornered in female washroom."_

At that moment, a quest alert appeared:

 **Quest Alert!** **  
** **Save Hermione Granger from death by troll's club!** **  
** **Extra Objective: Kill the troll!** **  
** **Reward: 250Exp, ?** **  
** **Extra Reward: 500Exp** **  
** **[Accept] [Decline]**

 _"This is very tempting,"_ I mused in my head.

It seems that my power was quite bored because it had given me a quest. However, this meant I also deliberately became the accessory of a murder attempt.

I quickly thought the positive side of this happenstance. As long as I could save Granger, I could satisfy my human conscience that slipped through the effect of my 'Gamer's Mind' somehow.

In the end, I accepted the quest.

 **You accepted the quest! You can't do something that can affect the quest — for example forewarning Hermione Granger — or the quest will automatically fail.**

I smiled bitterly at that notice.

I felt a tad guilty about this but my 'Gamer's Mind' squashed that guilt. I decided to think more about the positive manner. "Let's return back to the common room."

I then called my latest personal House-elf, which bonded with me two weeks ago. "Barmy?"

Shortly afterwards, a humanoid magical creature with a pair of wide, flapping ears appeared before me in a soft 'pop' sound.

"Did Master Lusty-Bug call Barmy?" The little creature inquired.

From its voice and appearance, the house-elf was a male. He was the first of the seven house-elves that bonded to me in three weeks ago.

"Yes. Please take me back to Ravenclaw's common room."

Barmy offered his hand and I accepted it.

I had asked Hogwarts house-elves to spread the news to the master-less House-elves that I would accept them as my house-elves. This news had started around one month and half ago, and so far, I had bonded with seven house-elves.

Why I did this? You might have that kind of question; I realized the usefulness of house-elves. Unlike the wizards and witches who lacked something called common sense, rational thought or logic I utilized both as best as I could. It wouldn't be a mistake to say that I was heavily abusing this loophole for my own gain.

Anyway, house-elves were very useful for subterfuge, sabotage, spying and many other things. I had tasked my first bonded house-elf to train them in military way.

Supporting seven house-elves wasn't hard with my current total Willpower. Each house-elf only took 10pts/day and my new skill — Willpower Recovery (Passive) Level 3 — was enough to cover it easily.

With the help of the house-elf, I bypassed the Hogwarts' anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards since they were only keyed to wizards' and witches' magic signatures, not the house-elves'.

Soon, I appeared inside the Ravenclaw's common room right beside the Statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.

I blinked my eyes when I found I wasn't alone. Sitting in a comfy couch before the fireplace was someone I knew very well. However, what registered in my view was a cute sight of a girl nibbling a block of chocolate like a cute, little squirrel.

Wide-eyed, Holly immediately hid her unfinished treat behind her petite body and glared at me like a wronged cat. I gave her a placid smile to calm her down after I told the house-elf his service wasn't needed for the moment.

"Where have you been?" She inquired coldly.

Inwardly, I felt a sense of fulfilment before my 'Gamer's Mind' smothered it.

My discreet plan to fix this girl from her broken state had been going smoothly so far. It could be seen from how she was less distrusting her opposite sex, other than me and the male Professors in Hogwarts. It seems that she was sensible enough not to offend the authority figure but I chalked it as her self-perseverance instinct.

"A night stroll," I replied easily. I ignored her incredulous and disbelieving look and continued, "Do you know that Hogwarts has many hidden shortcuts? It was quite interesting actually. Every night, I feel like I am in an endless adventure to unearth all secret this castle has."

She made a thoughtful look for a moment before she nodded her head, accepting my answer but not fully believing it.

I gave her a quick look and nodded mentally.

Holly was wearing a conservative, navy blue sleeping gown with animated bronze colored ravens on it, the tribute for our house.

The sleeping gown was enchanted to be automatically fitted to her size. At first, it was an adult-sized one. I was the one who helped her with it and lend her one of my house-elves to visit Madam Malkins' to overhaul her whole wardrobe.

Of course, she needed to pay everything with her own golds from her own vault. I wasn't like her — a filthy rich princess and celebrity of wizarding world. I was a poor boy.

I'd decided to be a busybody after I watched some reaction of the other house when she wore the secondhand, male clothes that weren't suited for a young lady with her status. At first, she didn't seem to understand the need in presenting herself properly and was being very obstinate to be in the background as a normal girl.

However, I gave her long winded explanation on how wizarding world custom wasn't different from the middle age society before the Renaissance. It stretched out towards _many_ things that were better to be left alone because of the boring and tedious nature of it.

I never planned to turn her into a proper witch in the eyes of the pureblood supremacist. At least, I wanted her to be a witch who understood the custom of her world, so she wouldn't accidentally offend others.

In the past, she wasn't different from the other muggleborns — oblivious to the fact that they had basically entered a different world with a different custom, though it was still in the land belonged to Great Britain's Royal Families.

So far, my attempt only yielded a small result, but the progress was still there.

I was also very glad for Su Li and Patil twins had helped her to understand what others expected to a proper, respectable witch.

"Why aren't you in the bed? It's too early."

I struck a conversation with her, but she glared at me mutinously.

"That's none of your business!" She said grumpily before she threw her face away from my view.

I blinked my eyes, stupefied by her reaction. It was a shortly thereafter I finally realized why she seemed to be in a bad mood.

Today was the Halloween, the same day she had become an orphan, when she lost her parents. She was finally mourning her parents' death properly after years but wasn't it a bit too much to start it very early in the morning? I threw aside the insignificant thoughts from my mind.

I stared at her silently for a moment as I contemplated what I should say next. She returned my gaze with her cold gaze. After a moment, I carefully said: "You have my condolences." When I saw anger in her emerald eyes, I immediately elaborated, "I didn't pity you or anything. I just tell you that so you know someone cares about it too, that you're not alone — not like it would change the fact — at least, you ought to know that someone also mourns for your late parents."

She stared at me blankly. I moved to the empty couch in front of hers and continued, "Other might think Halloween is a day of festive because many reasons but someone like you who have lost her important people also exist and share your pain and understand what you're feeling. So, stop moping and think you're the only miserable one. Besides, I don't think your late parents want their only daughter whom they sacrificed their lives moping like this. Live fully and happily for their sake! Don't disrespect their sacrifice! Thank them by being a daughter they would be proud of."

I stopped my preaching — another habit I gained from my second life in orphanage — after I realized I did it again. I hid my awkwardness by watching the thoughtful face belonged to Holly with calm mask. I was so glad that I have 'Gamer's Mind' for a moment like this.

Holly, realizing I'd been watching her for a while, threw her unfinished chocolate to my face. I easily caught it and whispered a soft "thanks!" to her. She glared at me mutinously. "You were preaching like old man again!" said Holly, rubbing the fact on my face.

"What do you think, Ms Obvious?" I retorted calmly to hide the fact that there was a tiring loop of surging embarrassment and my 'Gamer's Mind' smothered the emotion in question.

"Tch!" Holly clicked her teeth in unladylike manner right before she threw her face away from my view, looking at the crackling fireplace that lit the common room with a soft orange glow.

Her cute face being overcast by the soft orange glow created a picturesque scene that was worthy to be amazed of.

It was when I realized that I had disturbed her mourning. It was better for me to return back to my room, so she could continue her proper mourning. I raised my body from my sitting position while nibbling the chocolate Holly had thrown to my direction earlier. My movement took Holly's attention and she turned her face to me.

"Where are you going?" said Holly with a blank face.

"To my dorm," I replied easily between my nibbles. I soon realized me nibbling the chocolate Holly had been snacking could be considered as an indirect kiss. However, I didn't show outwardly my realization since Holly didn't seem to mind it. Then, I continued my words halfheartedly, "You can continue your mourning. Don't forget to return back to your dorm before four o'clock. Penny and Anderson will return back from their patrol at that time. Sorry for wasting your time."

I walked into the male dorms without looking back.

Along the way, the proverbial gears in my head spun to help me with a good plan to deal with the troll that would enter the castle tonight.

* * *

Holly Potter watched the back of the interesting creature known as Asmodias Lustburg with thoughtful eyes until he disappeared into the male dormitories.

It had been two months since she had become the students in this school, as the member of Ravenclaw House — the Ice Queen as they called her because her silent and reclusive manner. Other than Su Li and the Patil twin, and lately the boy in question, she was hardly speaking to others. Moreover, it had been well-known in the Hogwarts that she had major distrust and a biased outlook to the male in general and very cold to the male with the exception of the teachers.

Her less than pleasant views to the males in general stemmed from the abusive environment she grew up in.

She lived with her relatives — an aunt with a long neck that made her look like a giraffe who bullied her emotionally, a walrus of an uncle who would beat her just because something illogical happened around her outside her control and a baby whale of a cousin who would herd his friends to bully her physically and depraved her for a pleasant school life — and she was more than happy to be separated from them if she didn't fear of being a pitiful street urchin who would die from a starvation or a cold sooner than later.

As much as her living environment could be called a hell in the earth she had never been sexually abused by either her uncle or her cousin or her cousin's friends. Yes, she understood about that. Nevertheless, it didn't mean her living conditions hadn't broken her. It could be seen from her mannerisms — her reclusive personality; only know how to express anger or keep a blank mask on her face; her habits to downplay her achievement; the sporadic bout of timidity; uncontrollable temper from repressing her negative emotions; her unnatural reaction like a cornered animal, etc. — she was, indeed, broken.

Currently, the broken piece of her is being fixed bit-by-bit by the same interesting creature called Asmodias Lustburg.

She was aware about that little fact though the interesting creature in the question seemed to be discreet about it. However, she feigned that she didn't know anything about it. Surely she seemed to be the smallest girl in her years because of her scrawny and underfed body but she was sure as heck that she was the most mature girl in a certain aspect in her age brackets.

Since he taught her how to protect herself in the treacherous world of magic — how surprised she was when she found out the world where her parents lived in was more dangerous than where she had been living in so far — and how to get comfort she never had in her childhood. It was quite clear to her that the interesting creature helped her for a reason.

The problem was that she couldn't think any idea what he expected from her. His help seemed whimsical in nature, but she didn't believe in it. As much as her understanding about human was lacking but she understood how selfish and self-centered being the human kind was.

Asmodias Lustburg, to Holly Potter, was a confusing creature. She had met him in the Hogwarts Express two months ago. The first time she saw him, like her usual reaction to the male in general, was wariness, anxiety, distrust and fear. After all, all males in her eleven years old life (her uncle, her cousin, and he cousin's friends — she didn't have friends because her cousin and his friends would beat anyone who wanted to befriend her) had become the source of her pain.

If there was a formula to explain her biased outlook to the males, it was simply "men = pain", meaning she needs to stay away from them.

However, Dias — as the interesting creature was being called by others or was asking the others to call him with — showed that all men were not bad. Nevertheless, she kept her opinion in her mind and she showed her distrust to all boys and men in Hogwarts castle quite openly. Nevertheless, she had been known to be cordial to the female in general, well, maybe with the exception of the Queenbitch of Slytherin and her band of annoying harpies because the Queenbitch in question rubbed her in a wrong way.

In these past two months, at least, she would give a simple nod or shake her head to any male that talked to her. Of course, the Professors were the exception. Besides, she had some good outlook to the professors like Hagrid who had introduced to her late parent's world she formerly knows nothing of and Professor Flitwick who was quite funny and eccentric.

Well, her acceptance to those two was likely because she looked at them as Giant and Goblin instead of human male.

Yes; her opinion to human male was just that bad and if it wasn't for Dias it would stay like that for very long time. And . . . it could become a very dangerous for the future of wizarding world. Unwittingly, Dias has changed Holly's future from the dark path into, at least, the grey path.

In their first meeting, Dias had turned her world upside down by showing his kindness. It was enough to question her believe for years. And because of his whimsical kindness, the seed of curiosity had been planted in her mind. It could be said that Dias had unknowingly been monopolizing the part of Holly's mind, mostly a part of her mind that wanted to understand him.

Unfortunately, the more she tried to understand him, the harder it was for her. Dias was like a puzzle she couldn't finish and neither had she known the head or the tail of the puzzle.

Holly sighed gloomily as her thoughts spiraled around the boy known as Asmodias Lustburg.

It had been like this since that time. She would become dazed as her mind was occupied by the blond-haired, blue-eyes boy. She curled into a small ball in the sofa she was in. She absentmindedly noted the soft fabric of her sleeping gown — her new nightgown she had bought with the help of Dias' house-elf, which she didn't know where in the world he got them from, with her own money from her family's vault.

"Why are you so damn confusing? Why can't you be the evil men like my Uncle Vernon or my cousin Dudley or to be the general annoyance and the source of my headache like all boys in this madhouse!" groused Holly in a fit of explosive temper. Her voice was soft, just above whisper.

She sighed and returned her view to the crackling fireplace.

She was supposedly brooding — er, mourning, yes, mourning — because the Halloween was the day of her parents' death. However, it had strayed into thinking a boy she only knew for a short time.

"Fuck!" Holly hissed a profanity, uncaring her image as a lady. She never cared of her image to begin with and if she could choose she would be happy to be ignored in the shadow. However, after a long winded explanation from Dias and her friends (Su Li, Padma and Mandy Brocklehurst), she knew being one of the face in the background was impossible for her because her status as the Girl-Who-Lived.

"Annoying meddlesome boy!"

Although Holly cursed and insulted Dias behind his back, the corner of her lips curled up unnoticeably that even she didn't notice it herself.

She whispered a soft "Tempus!" under her breath and found the time was at three o'clock early in the morning.

She decided to return back into her dorm, which she shared with Su Li, because it was almost the time for the Perfects — Penelope and Anderson — to return back from their patrols.

Her emerald eyes lingered on the staircase to the male dormitories for a moment before she tore away her view reluctantly and stepped into the female dormitories. She was inwardly disturbed because she wished to get a last look of Dias' face before she fell asleep.

She didn't understand why she thought of that. She walked silently to the female dormitory, returning back to her dorm. She had three to four hours left for sleeping. As much as she wasn't in a mood to sleep, she was aware the importance of resting for her body.

Again, it was because of that annoying boy.

 _"Who in the bloody hell he thinks himself as? He's not my daddy for Merlin's sake! My dad had been dead for years!"_ Holly complained inwardly as she sauntered to her room. And yet, she couldn't pull down her curled up lips, "Bloody meddling boy!"

* * *

After today's classes thoroughly finished all students were sitting in their seat to enjoy the festive mood of the Halloween. I was sitting silently while helping myself to the assortment of banquet presented before me.

Sitting on my left was Su Li, on Su's left was Cho Chang, while on my right was Padma Patil, on Padma's left was Holly Potter and then Mandy Brocklehurst sitting on the left side of Holly. Everyone was in good mood. Well, not everyone since Holly was more subdued than the usual. However, the usually nosy first years, second years and less nosy third years above started to understand that Holly had a different opinion about Halloween from theirs.

Nevertheless, her presence in the Ravenclaw's table, while she was certainly forcing herself for the sake of other she cared of, was appreciated by other students.

Of course, as our resident Ice Queen, her silence didn't affect us that much. It would freak out everyone else if she suddenly became talkative and full of sunshine smile.

Most likely, the more thoughtful action of other claws could be counted as my contribution. I had put my foot down in the third days after the sorting ceremony. I realized my words in the sorting feast had been forgotten by the noisy children. I challenged first to third years to a formal duel inside our common room with our beloved Head of House as the referee and suffice to say my high 'Statistic Attributes' weren't only for a show.

The victi—er, I mean—volunteers who served themselves on silver plate were quite many since many held grudge over me because my stunt in the sorting feast.

I only used a single spell, the stunning spell — Stupefy — to deal with the dozens of annoying children. I mostly utilized my beyond normal human reflex, reaction speed and movement speed, which were the effect of my Agility arrived above 50 points. To cut a story short, even seventh years were wary of me after the dozens-in-one match finished.

Ultimately, bunch of the first years until the third years couldn't be considered as my enemy when I was gallivanting inside Forbidden Forest very early in the morning to hunt humongous spiders and other kind of dangerous magical creatures. Thankfully, the three-dozens-in-one match at that time had become a house secret and the news hadn't been spread yet. I hope there wouldn't be a blabbermouth.

I could listen to the conversation around me easily with my 'Snooping' skill. Mostly, the conversations were frankly boring. When I swept my eyes on the Gryffindor's table I couldn't see Hermione in there. I saw Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were talking about something while giving Ronald Weasley, who stuffed his face with the food like a starved person, stink looks.

It was clear to me that Hermione was in the female bathroom now, crying her heart out because of Ronald's tactless comments. At least, I was ready for the confrontation with the troll. I had prepared a simple yet useful plan to deal with that mindless brute.

Suddenly, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil turned their sight at me. I cocked my brows at them when our eyes met. Then, Lavender said something to Parvati while throwing a glance to my direction randomly. I decided to ignore the Gryffindor first years' odd action and I tore my attention away from the Gryffindor's table.

My eyes swept the Great Hall, taking a mental note of the decoration applied in this spacious place. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter.

The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

I was just helping myself to a baked potato when Quirrellmort came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.

Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. However, my 'Observation' told me that the Defense Against the Dark Art Professor was faking it. I was tempted to 'accio' his turban to show his second face to the whole Great Hall but I restrained myself because I still needed Quirrellmort's presence in this castle for one of my plans.

Speaking of the students' reactions, after the explosive news, there was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Headmaster Dumbledore's wand — the Deathstick itself — to bring silence.

"Prefects," Albus Dumbledore rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Amidst the chaos, the corner of my lips curled upwards. I felt excitement perpetually poured into my chest and my 'Gamer's Mind' tried to smother it to no avail.

I was ready to confront the Troll. It was — _"Show time!"_

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Chapter was fixed at August 18th, 2018**_


	6. Potterverse — Hogwarts First Year 05

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

After I told the first years around me that I needed to visit bathroom, I slipped down a deserted side corridor and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. I had just turned the corner when I heard quick footsteps behind me. I immediately hid behind a large stone griffin.

Peering around it, I saw Professor Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view. I activated my 'Presence Concealment' skill and quietly as possible crept along the next corridor after Professor Snape's fading footsteps. At that moment, I smelled a foul stench, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean. And then I heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. I shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

I used my 'Observation' to the troll and got:

 **Nameless** **  
\- Race: Mountain Troll  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- Health: ?** **  
** **\- Willpower: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue!** **  
** **\- Details: a breed of troll which lives deep in mountain, although it has a pea for brain, be wary of his insane physical strength! We don't want you to be mincemeat, do we?**

A horrible sight of twelve feet tall, its skin was dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long. The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, and then slouched slowly into the room.

As I reached the corner, I heard a high, petrified scream and it was coming from the chamber the troll had just stepped inside. I immediately realized it was Hermione's. I sprinted to the door and pulled the door open. When I ran inside, and saw Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

I watched calmly as the troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw me. It hesitated for a moment, before it ignored me and lifted its club as it went closer to the petrified girl. I immediately summoned my wand from my inventory and pointed my wand to the frozen stiff Hermione as she couldn't move. She was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

" _Accio_ Hermione's Granger Robes!"

Hermione's body was yanked to my direction as I summoned her robes. Since Accio spell could only summon inanimate objects, I needed to get her this way. I caught her in my chest then embraced her with one arm. As if the spell that froze her broken, she moved her body and clutched the nearby object that could give her a peace of mind — it was me.

The sound seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started to me, who was only the one who stood calmly before it. It raised its club as it went to my position. I could feel that Hermione gripped my robe tightly as the troll got closer. Contrary to the terrified and anxious girl, I was calm like still surface of the Black Lake for my 'Gamer's Mind' only let calmness filling my head.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I calmly said the incantation of levitation spell which we learned in Professor Flitwick class this week.

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble. Wasn't satisfied with it, I levitated the club again and dropped it on the troll's head, again. I repeated that for around four times until the troll's head became unrecognizable bloody smear on the floor.

At that moment, a notice appeared before my eyes.

 **Overkill!** **  
** **You killed Mountain Troll Level: ?** **  
** **You gained Troll's Hide (Medium) and Miniature Troll's Club** **  
** **You gained 4000Exp**

 **Congratulation! You leveled up to level 23** **  
** **Gain 4pts for Strength, Agility, Mind and Magic Statistic Attributes.** **  
** **Gain 20pts for Free Attribute Points.** **  
** **Your Health, Willpower and negative status effects are healed from level up!**

My level jumped up by four. Then again, the amount of exp I'd got from killing the troll was quite a huge sum. If my calculation was correct, the troll should have been above level 40.

Shortly afterwards, another prompt appeared.

 **Completed A Quest!** **  
** **Save Hermione Granger from being turned into mincemeat by troll!** **  
** **Extra Objective: Kill the troll!** **  
** **Rewards: 250Exp, Life Debt of Hermione Granger** **  
** **Extra Reward: 500Exp**

 **Gain 750Exp**

 **Congratulation! You leveled up to level 24  
Gain 1pt for Strength, Agility, Mind and Magic Statistic Attributes.** **  
** **Gain 5pts for Free Attribute Points.** **  
** **Your Health, Willpower and negative status effects are healed from level up!**

I stared the second reward blankly. I didn't know whether I needed to laugh or cry at it. The question mark had shown what it was actually but I thought it was something special like a skill, a title, or something else.

Well, the life debt would be useful for later. Let keep it safely for later.

I dismissed the prompts and then looked at the girl in my arms. I found she was staring wide-eyed at me. I wasn't oblivious enough to miss the sign of blossoming hero worship in her brown eyes.

I would deal with her later. I watched the unmoving troll — or I supposed a corpse of troll — on the floor.

Still in my arms, Hermione Granger was also peering to the source of her nightmare from her safe place.

"Well, that's kind of anticlimactic," I mused with a faint, sardonic smile on my face.

Potterverse magic, as I expected, was really versatile. In a hand of correct person with correct mind, it could be a dangerous power. It was good that the majority of the wizards and witches didn't know something called logic or common sense, or the magical world would become scarier than already is. I didn't want this flawed society of magical flocks turned into the mirror image of Clock Tower organization from Type-MOON franchise where there were magi with functioning, rational thought, cold logic and pragmatic mindset. That'll be an utter hell to me.

Speaking of that kind of Organization, should I create myself in the future whereas many muggleborns, Half-Bloods, or even squibs — a magical folks who were born defects and lacked the needed MP to cast a spell — focus on the progress of magical fields. That's actually a good idea, but I could mull the ideas for later, since my _Sense Presence_ could feel several signatures getting closer. The teachers finally came from their leisure stroll, so it seems.

When they saw me with Hermione in my arms before the unmoving body of troll, they stared, dumbfounded. I wasn't surprised when it was Professor Snape who regained his posture first.

Turning to my direction, face set into his trademark cold yet somehow conveying his annoyance, he asked 'not much of a polite inquiry and more of an interrogation' kind of question to me.

"Mister Lustburg," he drawled. "Pray tell me why you're in here with Miss Granger and a corpse of troll whose head had been turned into mincemeat when you should have been in your common room as per Headmaster's order?"

Snape question seemed to snap other Professor and they turned their attention to me, and subsequently Hermione. I stared back at Professor Snape with a calm yet polite face, I didn't fear him to read my mind since it was frankly impossible, and answered his question respectfully. "Please forgive me for disobeying Headmaster's order sir. But, when I was going to return to my common room with my housemates, I remembered that I overhead the rumor that Miss Granger wasn't with us in the Great Hall. It seems that she was in the girls' bathroom long before the feast even started and Mister Ronald Weasley had bullied his own housemate excessively."

I didn't feel any pity to the aforementioned boy as I ratted out him to Professor Snape who was well known for his hatred for the Griffindork. Ron had been an annoyance that made my task to warm Holly to male in general a bit harder in the first month after the sorting ceremony. That boy couldn't take a hint that Holly had an issue with male. And when he found out he couldn't become the friend of the Girl Who Lived, he insulted Holly quite ruthlessly.

"As a worried classmate, I decided to warn her about the troll, but, well, you see how it ended. But, I did wonder how a housemate could be so cruel to his own housemate like that. If I was a bit later, Miss Granger is likely not with us completely, Sir." I shrugged helplessly.

Snape regraded me silently. I was so glad he didn't treat me like how he treated the canonical Harry Potter in the series. He was quite cold, and it was better than his spiteful treatment, to other students that wasn't Gryffindor, or others which were as he put it oh so eloquently 'dunderheads who can't even follow instructions written clearly in the board.'

"It seems," he drawled lazily as he shifted his attention to Professor McGonagell with malevolent glint in his eyes, "that you need to sort out your young charge, Minerva. A student almost died because Mister Weasley's fault. Oh, the horror if that kind of news becomes public. I think fifty points from Gryffindor and a full detention for a week is acceptable, no?"

"Now, now, Severus, no need to give the boy such heavy punishment," interjected Headmaster Dumbledore as he peered at Professor Snape with twinkle in his blue eyes. My brow almost twitched when I heard that. "Miss Granger is safe now, I don't think we need to take many points from Gryffindor and give him a detention."

"Excuse me, Headmaster," I interjected politely. "But, I think you need to give him more appropriate punishment instead of sweeping something that almost costed the life of student under the rug. Besides, Mister Weasley needs to fix his attitude around people. He never put a filter in his mouth when he's speaking to others. And have you seen his table manner? I assure you sir, even some of my housemates lost their appetite when the glanced to Gryffindor table. He needs to be taught a proper attitude or today event will repeat and an innocent child will die."

"You seem to express your view about Mister Weasley quite openly, my boy. Do you hate him?" inquired Headmaster Dumbledore as he peered at me.

"Hate? Oh, my, hate is strong word sir. I will use annoyed instead. Besides, it's for his 'own good'. Being a free spirited when young is good, but bullying is still wrong."

"Albus . . ." Professor McGonagall finally entered the discussion. She had a severe frown on her lovely face. "I think what Mister Lustburg has spoken is correct. The boy is also very lazy in the class these past months. I know you're close with the Weasley, but this is for the boy's own good."

Albus Dumbldore sighed tiredly. "Maybe, you're correct Minerva. I think I'm the one who think positively too much. If this for Mister Weasley's sake, then I won't deny it. After all, he is your young charge."

After the conversation about Ronald Weasley finished, Gryffindor had lost fifty points much to Professor Snape's glee, the Potions Professor returned his attention to me and said "Pray to tell me how, a first year, could kill a mountain troll that had magic resistant hide and enough brute strength to turn you into a bloody smear on the floor?" inquired Snape evenly.

At that question, other Professors gathered their attentions to me. They must be curious of that too.

"Sir, all first years who had passed Professor Flitwick's class this week could repeat what I have done tonight." I answered calmly, right before I added in afterthought. "Of course if they could stay calm and not become a blubbering mess in front of a tall, massive brute like that."

"My class, Mister Lustburg?" Professor Flitwick squeaked in surprise because he was dragged into the discussion without warning. Other Professors gave a sideway glance to the diminutive Professor. Realizing his colleagues' attentions were on him, Professor Flitwick was flustered. "But, what's the relation between this week class and defeating a mountain troll?" He inquired to me, honestly at lost.

I held back my urge to roll my eyes from how wizards and witches seemed to be oblivious to something called rational thought, logic or common sense. Then again, I didn't fault them since magic made them complacent and to disregard anything that needed them to think rationally.

Their attentions returned back to me. I could feel their curiosity and impatient for my answers.

Instead of voicing out my answer, I decided that a demonstration was better way to explain it to them. I took out my wand from my pocket, which was actually only a smokescreen to hide the fact I summoned it from my Inventory, and pointed the tip to the troll's club on the stone floor. I swished and flicked my wand and said "Wingardium Leviosa." The club was levitated by my charm. I then moved my wand up and down, making the club repeating what it had done earlier.

Loud thumping sounds echoed in the corridor as the club bashed the blood stains and the mountain's troll already minced head. The stone floor cratered from it and the Professors, and Hermione, winced at that.

I stopped my spell and the club dropped on the floor. I turned to face the Professors and said "And that's how I dealt with the troll, Professors. It's quite anticlimactic, really. The troll's head turned into mincemeat at the fifth time I did it." I added loudly.

The Professors alternated their views on me and the club. They had varying reactions and expressions on their faces; Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Snape seemed impressed, though the later almost unnoticeable; Professor Sprout had an awed look on her face; Professor Flitwick was bouncing on his feet — he was clearly excited — and looking at me with a proud look.

"Twenty Points for Ravenclaw for such ingenious idea to use simple levitation charm to beat a mountain troll and another twenty for helping your classmate. I'm proud of you Mister Lustburg." Professor Flitwick announced loudly. His announcement snapped the other Professors from their trance.

Professor McGonagall and Sprout regarded me with complex looks while Professor Snape was indifferent as usual. Headmaster Dumbledore looked at me with his grandfatherly smile and twinkling eyes. And Quirrellmort's glance turned to more calculative. The latter was unwelcoming, thank you very much.

"Now, I'm sure that Mister Lustburg and Miss Granger are tired from their misadventure tonight," said Headmaster Dumbledore soothingly. He turned his attention to Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick and said "Minerva, please escort Miss Granger to Poppy in Medic Wing. Even though she seems fine, let's Poppy give her more thorough diagnosis to rest our concern. And Filius, please escort Mister Lustburg to his dorm" to them respectively.

Headmaster Dumbledore left, followed by Professor Sprout and Quirrellmort. Professor McGonagall coaxed Hermione from my arms. The girl had unconsciously clutched my body tightly to seek a safe place after the ordeal with a mountain troll that almost killed her. She must become mentally scarred after this. After Professor McGonagall and Hermione had left, there was only Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick. When my Head of House wanted to escort me back to Ravenclaw's room, Professor Snape stopped us.

"A moment Filius," said Professor Snape. "I want to borrow your young charge for a moment."

We (I and Professor Flitwick) stared at Professor Snape in bemusement. The next moment, we shared a glance. I could read his eyes which were questioning me what I'm going to do. I gave the diminutive Professor a small nod. Then, I walked closer to Professor Snape. "Do you need something, Professor Snape?" I inquired respectfully.

Professor Snape regarded me with indifference glance for a moment, right before he said "Next time, don't do something reckless that could cost your life." I was taken aback by his words. What was this? Who are you? Is someone masquerading as Snape with Polyjuice? What have you done to the real Professor Snape? "I can see Miss . . . Potter" he grimaced when he uttered the name "will react badly if something happened to you."

 _"Of course..."_ I realized why he suddenly acted like this.

Cause and Effect law was something that couldn't be ignored. When a choice was taken, the outcome would be different. Furthermore, there was also a butterfly effect to put into consideration. Since Harry Potter didn't exist in this world and Holly Potter took his role, there would be different outcome than how the canonical plot we knew progressed. Holly's distrust to males, the outcome of her sorting, and Severus Snape action to her; they were only small example of this cause and effect law's effect.

I'd understood what Severus Snape was thinking the moment his eyes locked on Holly. Someone who didn't know his character would think nothing was strange. But, I'm different because I had the knowledge of Harry Potter series from the spectator's view.

It was easily recognized by me that Snape looked to Holly and fantasized her as his and Lily's daughter. Holly had her mother's face and eyes. And she didn't have unruly hair that James Potter had or wear spectacles. There was nothing to remember James Potter on Holly, except for her black hair, which was the same shade as Snape. Other than her family name that reminded Severus Snape of James Potter, he could easily put the idea that Holly was his and Lily Evan's daughter. It was kind of twisted and a blatant escapism, but it was better than him to treat Holly wrongly, not with Holly's attitude, I suppose.

"I'll remember it in my mind, sir. And thank you." I gave him a small, respectful nod. He regarded me silently for a moment, right before he turned his body around with his bellowing black cape and left me behind. After that, I went closer to Professor Flitwick.

The diminutive Professor was prudent enough to give us space to have our small talk, but I was one hundred percent sure that he had eavesdropped on our conversation. I didn't feel affronted by it, and neither had Snape, because it showed Professor Flitwick treated his job rather seriously. Although I did wonder maybe Professor Flitwick treated me a bit differently than his other claws.

I wasn't being narcissistic, but everyone in the house realized it as a fact. It was clear he treated me better than even the Ravenclaw's Perfects. Well, I had been showing off a bit in the past a few months.

Speaking of my progress as a student, I had been openly admitted as the brightest students in my year, maybe even better than some second or third years, or even the fourth years. I had shown how I easily finished the task Professors gave me. All my wandworks would appear perfect in the end of the class, thanks to my maximum level Mana Manipulation. I also did more than acceptable in other class like Herbology and Potions, although Professor Snape didn't admit it openly, but his cold treatment to me that said he didn't care what I did told me I helped him to lessen his burden in teaching obnoxious brats. Well, I could mistake it because my optimistic outlook, but let's disregard this insignificant detail.

Before Professor Flitwick and I returned back to Ravenclaw's tower, I leaned closer to Professor Flitwick's ear, because the difference in our heights I needed to bend my body slightly, and whispered in a soft tone. "Sir, please cast Homenum Revelio charm. I feel like there's someone hiding nearby. I'm not sure if other Professors had realized it or not." Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore and maybe Quirrellmort realized it, but they decided to ignore it because whoever it was, he or she wasn't a threat. But, I was curious.

Professor Flitwick gave me a curious, sidelong glance and nodded. He took out his wand from his wand holster and said "Homenum Revelio!" He then pointed his wand to the empty space that was a bit odd if scrutinized carefully. "Whoever you're, show yourself!" Professor Flitwick barked out a command. He didn't look like the usual eccentric Professor the students knew of, but a veteran warrior. Maybe, it was because of his goblin blood.

There was a soft sound of deep breath, before the method that hid whoever it was dropped. It wasn't an Invisibility cloak or the Disillusionment charm. Heck, I wasn't even sure if that could be considered as Witchcraft and Wizardry. Both Professor Flitwick and I were surprised because who it was.

"Su?" I showed faint surprised expression from this surprising outcome.

"Miss Li?" Professor Flitwick frowned. "Pray to tell me why you are in here, Miss Li? You should have been following the Perfects to the Ravenclaw tower."

Su smiled nervously. She was silent for a moment, right before she sighed helplessly and explained why she was there.

— **»O«—**

Tonight schedule was studying in Room of Requirement. My nightly schedule was alternating between visiting Forbidden Forest to grind my level and visiting Room of Requirement to study something of interest. At the moment, I was sitting in comfortable loveseat while scribbling something in a parchment.

Currently, I was trying to finish my project that was in my to-do-list and must be finished before the end of the year.

"It seems that I need to use Berkano for its containment property, Thuriaz for its binding the enemy property, and Isa for its protection from malevolent entity property. And the positioning will be three of Trinity, meaning repeatedly engraved three times and connected into one solid arrangement of nine Runes from three different Runes. Such a shame I couldn't create better runic scheme using seven of seven. The power must be stronger. But, this is already enough, I suppose. Next is doing the arithmetic calculation to create the perfect arrays and find a good slab of stone to be the altar. What kind of stone I shall use. Cryshocolla sounds good because its good strength and purifying nature, but Jasper or Lapis Lazuli has better protection property in it, or maybe, Obsidian for its anti-negativity and protection nature. I need to check other stone that has magical property to find better material for the foundation."

I leaned back on the soft couch and massaged my nose. I was mentally tired from brainstorming, but I persisted because this was very important. I looked at the books on the table before me. There was a thick grimoire with faded leather cover. It was an old grimoire about Ancient Elder Futhark Runes.

Ancient Runes was the elective class Hogwarts students could take in their third years. However, I didn't have patience to wait until then. Why should I wait until my third years if I could start it now? Furthermore, Room of Requirements provided me with enough practice materials. At the moment, my Ancient Runes skill almost reaches level 30. The progress was fast because I had enough resources to practice it to my heart content, but I digressed.

Other than Ancient Runes, there was also a book about intermediate level Arithmancy, another elective class the student could take in their third years. Speaking of my Arithmancy, it was at level 21, lower than my Ancient Runes.

Another book was laid open on the table. It was a book about stone with magical property. The book provided me with detailed explanation of each stone known to wizard kind. It was accumulation of knowledge of forgotten magical mineralogy.

Magic in Potterverse extended more than what I had known from the series. Although witchcraft and wizardry seemed to be the main branch used these days, it didn't mean Potterverse magic only restrained at it.

I suppose, Alchemy and Necromancy were also known since they were mentioned in the series, but other branches of magic seemed to be disregarded in the movies. And Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry lived its hippy as the best educational institute in the world because of its book collection in library. Of course, some books with esoteric branches of magic were kept in forbidden section or Albus Dumbledore's personal office. However, there was a way to get those books without visiting the mentioned places. The Room of Requirement could bring the book I needed from either place.

Speaking of other branches of magic other than the stereotype witchcrafts and wizardry, I remembered about the girl that had taken my interest lately. My interest bloomed after the ordeal with the mountain troll.

I never thought Su Li was hiding her real capability deeply. Although she was only a first year in Hogwarts like me, but in actuality, she had deep knowledge of Chinese sorcery that oddly reminded me of Chinese wuxia novels from my past life. Of course Su Li didn't say it outright when Professor Flitwick interrogated her, but the hidden meaning was quite clear if one carefully read between the lines.

After that night, I had some random conversations with Su Li about Chinese sorcery and found I'm interested to them. Unlike the wizards or witches who was overly dependent to their wands as a crippling crutch to use their magic, Chinese wizards and witches — a Taoist as they called — had many ways to cultivate the arcane energy to create the mysterious phenomenon known as magic.

However, what spiked my interest the most was the prefect mix of martial art and magic manipulation the Taoists used. There were many martial arts born in the China, but Su Li told me that advanced level Taoists could crush bones into dust with a simple pat; mince the flesh with a simple tap; and destroy the intestines from outside by touching the skin.

From that, my interest to magic spiked up even more. I wanted to learn Chinese magic myself. No, not only Chinese, but all kind of magic in this world. There were too many branches, such as Chinese Taoism, Japanese Onmyoudou, Indian Mysticism, Theurgy, Kabbalistic Sorcery, African-American Shamanism, Demonology, Theology, Alchemy, Spiritualism, Druidism and many more. But, it was for later.

Although Tom Riddle stated to have traveled the world in search of deeper understanding of magic, the young man whose future self was known as Lord Voldemort was only traveled the Europe and Middle-East such as India and Egypt. He didn't travel the whole world, or he would have conquered Magical Britain long time ago.

However, I felt something was amiss about this idea. Why Tom Riddle had traveled only around the Europe and the Middle-East? Why didn't he travel further? Those questions popped in my mind and I became curious.

I decided to put aside the needless thoughts for the moment and then changed my attention from my project to other things. It was when I wanted to listen to the progress of my other project. With that in mind, I called the de facto leader of my House-elves squad, "Barmy!"

With a silent 'pop', a male house-elf appeared before me. "Does Master Lusty-Bug sir need Barmy for something?" the elf called Barmy inquired with his butchered grammar. Of course, his name wasn't Barmy before he bonded to me. I had changed his name just because.

"Tell me the progress of the House-Elves Black Ops."

Barmy nodded his head and began his report. "Yours House-elves squad is going good, Master Lusty-Bug sir! The new house-elves joining yours House-elves squad have been taught how to read and write. Everyone is happy because we are busy every day, Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

I inquired another thing. "Have you finished selling all junk from this room and the Acromantula's materials I gave you? How about the task I gave the first three men squad to raid muggle army's armory?"

That was right. I have plan to create my own black ops consisted of the elusive magical creature known as House-elves. They would help me with one of my plans to cull the Death Eater cells. Moreover, they could be used for other things from menial thing like doing house chores to dark-aligned activity such as spying, robbing others, and many others. I was aware robbing others was wrong, but I was in need to build up my foundation before I could enjoy my slow life as a wizard. Besides, the money I robbed mostly for the Greater Good of masses. Oh, well, now I sounded like Albus Dumbledore. Eh, who cares?

"We have sold everything, Master Lusty-Bug sir! We also have stolen some easy to use muggle-wand, sir!" reported Barmy obediently.

"You didn't forget to steal the ammunition and silencer too, right? And it's called gun, my dear underling. Anyway, only stealing the gun isn't enough. Without ammunition, the gun is useless. You also need the silencer because gun is loud. You can't assassinate your target and run away easily with how loud the gun without silencer."

Barmy nodded his head fervently to my explanation. When I was sure he had actually done it, I continued to ask another report from the house-elf. "That aside how many of your brothers and sisters who can use gun now?" I inquired.

Barmy raised his wrinkled-skinned hand and began counting like a kindergartener. "I can, and Pussy, and Wonky, and Dicky, and Ballsy, and Cranky, and Tipsy is also can!"

In the end, he used his two hands to count.

From all ten house-elves that'd bonded to me, seven had understood how to use gun. Well, it was a good amount. I nodded in satisfaction at that.

"If I remember correctly, Dicky and Ballsy are also keeping an eye to my orphanage, right?" At Barmy's nod, I continued, "Let them continue. If there're suspicious people endangering the orphanage, deal with them from the shadow! And tell Wonky to continue her assignment to keep Holly's safety from the shadow. And finally, continue to raid ammo from muggle army's armory around the world in random time, at least twice in a week. And be careful not to get caught."

Barmy did the army salute and said "Sir, yes Master Lusty-Bug Sir!"

"Now, you can go to continue what you're doing."

After giving me another army salute, the leader of my House-Elves Black Ops disappeared with a soft 'pop'. I made myself comfortable in the couch, and mulled my overall plan. A while later, I checked the time with tempus spell and found it was past 2AM. I decided to return back to Ravenclaw tower.

Speaking of which, the Yule Break and Boxing Day was close. I wonder if I should return back to my orphanage or stay in the castle, knowing what likely would happen.

After I contemplated for a while, I decided to return back for the short holiday since I'd promised to Natasha and Clara. There was one of my faithful little underlings hidden around Holly to keep her safe and sound while I wasn't around her.

With that in mind, I requested a shortcut to arrive into Ravenclaw's common room. A door appeared and I opened it, right before I entered the Claw's common room through the magical shortcut.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Chapter was fixed at March 28th, 2018**_


	7. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1st Year (06)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to visit my home, Holly?" Su Li inquired as she walked beside the Girl-Who-Lived. Her obsidian-like dark eyes peered to the smaller girl walking beside her, "I don't think my parents will have problem with it."

Holly Potter shook her head slowly. Her cold, indifferent green eyes moved to the right and met Su's eyes.

"I am sure of it, Su," she said. "You needn't worry about me."

Su watched her friend silently; her eyes searched for any trace of deceit from Holly's and she nodded her head as she found none.

"If you're so sure," she said as she shrugged her shoulder, "But, remember that you can still go with me if you change your mind."

Holly nodded her head and then turned her face ahead.

It was hard to understand what the Girl-Who-Lived was thinking inside her head. Her indifferent expression and cold disposition made her hard to read. Moreover, after she succeeded created her most basic Occlumency barrier, her expression seemed to be frozen over.

Holly had started learning Occlumency immediately after she found out a book about Occlumency in the library. It wasn't something high-leveled or out of ordinary. The book only explained about the basic Occlumency. For the book with extraordinary mind art written in it had been moved into the forbidden section long time ago. Although Holly wanted to upgrade her Occlumency mastery to higher level, the trouble coming with asking the permission to enter the forbidden library wasn't worth after she weighed it in her mind.

It had been a few months since the Halloween. Christmas, or Winter Solstice Holiday, also known as Yule Break, would arrive soon.

Being the ever thoughtful friend, Su Li had invited Holly to visit her family's house in Britain for the Yule Break.

As a reclusive individual who disliked being indebted to others, Holly had declined the offer 'politely.' She was quite content to spend her Yule Break in the Hogwarts Castle. Everywhere that wasn't Number 4 Privet Drive was a good place for her. In fact, Hogwarts was a better place to spend her first proper Yule Break. Other than that, she acknowledged the fact that it would be rude to visit and sleep over in Su's place in Yule Break.

" _I wonder if he will stay in the castle too,"_ Holly mused in her head suddenly, the image of blue eyed, blond haired boy appeared in her mind and she realized that and cleared her mind in hurry.

Speaking of her intrigue's target, Holly had rarely seen him lately outside the class. Seeing the boy's shadow was really hard. He seemed to disappear constantly when he had a free time, leaving her alone with either Padma or Su, much to her chagrin and confusion. She was curious why he was constantly disappeared like that. For someone who said he never tried to be mysterious, his action was contrast to his words.

"Say, Su," Holly called Su who had become silent as they walked together to the Library.

"Yes?" Su replied as she turned her attention to Holly.

"Have you seen Lustburg lately?" Holly inquired openly. Su stopped and then stared at Holly in surprise. At that, Holly stopped her stepsand turned her sight on Su. She could feel Su's incredulity and became annoyed by it. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Who are you? What have you done to real Holly?" Su feigned her wariness. It was almost unheard of for Holly to seek out the enigmatic first year.

Holly showed how she was unamused, stared blankly at Su, then pressured the Asian witch with deadpan expression.

Su caved in and sighed in exasperation. "You're not fun," she pouted playfully. When she found out Holly's expression didn't even twitch, she replied Holly's question with her own: "Why are you asking that question to me?"

"You seem to be around him lately," said Holly. She didn't know why she felt bitter when she realized about that fact.

Su and Dias had become closer after the Halloween feast.

That night, a while after the flock of Ravenclaw was escorted back to the common room by the Perfects, they returned together to the common room with Professor Flitwick as their escort. Before that, Dias had slipped away from the flock when a troll was supposedly gallivanting inside the castle.

At that time, Holly didn't understand why she felt so alarmed and anxious for the boy's safety and had urged Su to keep an eye to the meddlesome boy. However, she had regretted her decision not to follow the boy herself and asked Su instead. Because of that, Su and Dias seemed to get closer and spent discussing something that they kept private from other.

Did she feel jealous? She didn't know the answer.

The question itself was confusing.

Why she felt jealous? To whom she felt jealous? She didn't know why she felt jealous and why she felt such an emotion to Su because the Asian witch had become closer to Dias. If she felt jealous to Dias because he'd hogged her closest friend's time for himself, she would understand. However, she was jealous for Su because the Asian witch had become close to Dias. That was why she felt confusion and uncertainty.

"Well," Su began carefully, "Although we have some interesting discussion lately, his business is something unrelated to me. To be honest, I'm also curious of that. Haven't you asked him that question yourself?"

Holly made a face that spoke her perplexity. She questioned Dias? She was still unsure how she should act around him. In the end, she shook her head wordlessly to answer Su's inquiry.

"If you're curious what he has been doing lately, you should ask him," advised Su with a light tone.

"What about you? Aren't you curious about it too?" Holly inquired.

Su smiled easily at that.

When Holly saw Su's smile, which created a dimple on each cheek, she felt envious because Su looked cute when smiling. She was sure that Su would grow up into a graceful and lovely lady, unlike her who couldn't even dream to make other appreciate her look.

Her distorted mind translated the interest the others had for her was solely because the fame she wanted to get rid of. It was normal for girl or mature lady wanted to be appreciated because their beauty and Holly wasn't any different. As faint as it was, she still had her feminine part deep in her scarred heart. She didn't realize the fact that she had her own charm that put her above others, bar a few girls.

"My grandma has shared her wisdom with me in the past," said Su. Her words didn't seem to have any connection with Holly's earlier question at first. "She said that "a good woman is a woman who didn't ask many questions to her man." Well, I just followed my grandma's advice. And to be honest, I'm not interested in it. It was his business and I think everyone has right for their privacy."

When Holly listened to Su, she was confused because the indescribable pang of pain in her chest. She didn't understand why she felt really annoyed when she heard Su unintentionally sounded like Dias was her man.

Hiding her real feeling behind her basic Occlumency barrier, she regarded Su for a moment, before she said "If you don't have interest to it, then forget it."

Su shrugged her shoulders wordlessly. They walked on the stone floor silently. When they were only halfway to reach their destination, they caught the sight of girls walking to their direction. Holly's cold, indifference face turned colder while Su pressed her lips together into thin line.

"The old saying from my homeland that said "enemies often meet" sounds appropriate for our current circumstance, don't you think so?" Su mused softly.

When Holly heard that, she involuntary nodded in agreement.

The five girls with green and silver tie that showed their status as members of House Slytherin were getting closer. The one who lead them was a cute, or could be considered as a budding beauty at least, with straight, lustrous pale blond hair that adorned with emerald colored hairband and a pair of haughty grey eyes that looked down to everyone else.

She was Lyra Malfoy, the Princess of Slytherin because the political clout her father, the _Imperiused_ Death Eater named Lucius Malfoy, held in his grip.

To Holly, Lyra was a Queenbitch. She never thought she would feel disfavor at the same level she had for her relative to someone else.

Holly distaste to the scion of both Black House and Malfoy House started in the first time Ravenclaw and Slytherin had their first Herbology class. The bossy Slytherin rubbed her the wrong way when she openly insulted her friends (Su, Padma, and Dias — as much as she didn't want to acknowledge the last in the list) with mudbloods word, before she invited her into her circle as her underling. The self-centered Slytherin was truly galling in Holly's opinion.

And from that moment, calling them arch nemesis wasn't wrong. They couldn't stand each other's presence when they were in the same room. Lyra wouldn't forget to anger her whenever the Slytherin had a chance. Their existences were like oil and water that couldn't mix well.

Standing to Lyra's right was another girl with inborn beauty that wasn't any less than Lyra's. Her dark hair looked like night and she had dark green eyes, which were less vibrant than Holly's eyes. The girl was Daphnee Greengrass, the official Ice Queen of Slytherin, though she wasn't at Holly's level yet. She was the second-in-command in Lyra's clique.

To Lyra's left was another girl with cute face, though the cruel children who disliked her bossy and haughty manner would call her 'Pug-face' because her cute, small nose. She had dark brown and dark eyes. She was the shortest of the group. She was Pansy Parkinson.

Walking behind Pansy Parkinson was a chubby girl with brown hair and brown eyes. Her position indicated she was Lyra's underling from her authority over Pansy, whose true backer of the chubby girl. Anyhow, this chubby girl was Millicent Bulstrode.

Lagged behind Daphnee was another girl, once again with inborn beauty, with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was the lowest in social status because of her Half-Blood status. Fortunately, she was Daphne's childhood friend and confidant. Her name was Tracey Davis, the little sister of third year Ravenclaw Roger Davis.

Holly and Su tried to ignore her and continued their stroll. But, Lyra suddenly stopped in front of them with haughty sneer on her face.

"My, oh my, a coincidence to meet you here Potter." Lyra feigned surprised expression that looked clearly faked, then glanced at Su with clear disgust in her eyes. "I see, today you bring your Asian breed pet for a walk. Speaking of which, where're your other pets?"

If Holly and Su were offended by the blatant insult thrown by Lyra, they didn't show it. Holly blinked her eyes, feigning a bemusement which was better than Lyra's horrible acting skill, then turned her face to face Su and said "Sorry Su, do you hear sound of a barking dog?"

Su immediately understood Holly ploy, then joined the fun. The coldness in her dark eyes melted as the vindictive gleams filled them. "Now that you said it," said Su. "I heard barking sound. But, are you sure it is a dog?"

"Whatever you mean, Su?" Holly questioned back.

"The sound sounded high pitched, don't you think so?" said Su.

"You're right." Holly feigned surprised expression. "The sound was oddly high pitched, isn't it? Then, it should be a little bitch, instead of dog. Oh my, how can I mistake a bitch's sound for a dog's?"

"You're correct my dear friend. T'was little bitch's sound, a little bitch's was barking about something. I wonder why the little bitch was barking. Maybe, the little bitch was starved for attention? Oh my, what a poor little bitch," said Su as she feigned a pitying look in the end.

The gleams in Holly's and Su's eyes had become unholy. They were holding back their giggle from their play. Meanwhile, Lyra who was being ignored and called 'a little bitch' had turned purple in rage.

Holly turned her face to Lyra and then feigned a surprised look, which was somehow still retained Holly's stoic mannerism. "Oh my, Malfoy, when have you appeared? I was sure there was nobody before. Oh, are you taking your pe—ehem, I mean friends for a walk? Please continue what you are doing. It must be very tiring to care so many pe—I mean, friends like that," said Holly evenly.

Couldn't take the insults from her arch nemesis, Lyra exploded, then screamed "POTTER! HOW DARE YOU?!" loudly. It sounded like a banshee's shriek than the actual eleven year's scream. Both Holly and Su flinched because how loud the scream was. They were sure Lyra's scream could be heard from the library that was only less than minute walk from their position.

Lyra fished out her wand and then pointed the tip to Holly. Before she could speak the first syllable of her spell, a red jagged light hit her from behind and her wand was wrenched from her hand.

Surprisingly, the one who had sent the spell was the Percy Weasley the Gryffindor Perfect. He was walking in hurry to their spot as he held Lyra's wand in his hand.

Lyra had lost her reason from the insults and the Ravenclaw duo's treatment as if she didn't exist to begin with, then she shrieked "You 'Blood-Traitor!' Return back my wand now!" to the Perfect.

Percy was appalled when he heard that, if his reddening face and wrinkling forehead was any indication. "Fifty points from Slytherin from cursing Perfect!" he said loudly halfway to their position. Percy's announcement seemed to snap Lyra from her rage. The Princess of Slytherin seemed aghast because her folly had costed her house a big sum of points.

"At first, I wanted to know what happened here," said Percy as he stood before Lyra. "But, I don't need to know anymore after what I heard. It's clear you're the one in the wrong Miss Malfoy. Please follow me to see your Head of House and explain to him why Slytherin lost fifty points."

Lyra and her gang tried to protest, only to close their mouth with audible 'click' because the look in Percy's eyes. They knew a losing battle and decided to not waste their breath. They followed Percy the Gryffindor Perfect. Lyra didn't forget to throw a last venomous glare to Holly and Su.

"I heard he's a pompous ponce, but hearing the rumor and watching it with my own eyes is different experience," Su mused loudly, after the Gryffindor Perfect and the Slytherin first years left. When she didn't hear any stolid yet witty reply from her roommate and best friend, she turned her head to face her and then found Hollylooked gloomy. It was subtle shift in her attitude, and Su was one of rare people in the castle who could feel the subtle thing. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing," said Holly curtly, then she walked ahead, leaving Su behind.

The Chinese witch immediately ran to catch Holly. She was curious why the Girl Who Lived suddenly started to brood. She made a mental note to tell Dias about this, and maybe, the peculiar boy could shed the light to her muddy mind.

—

Time continued forwards, dragging everyone else kicking and screaming; the Yule Break finally arrived; the students who had a plan to leave the castle on break were busy packing their effects. While it was only small insignificant efforts as wizards and witches could pack their belongings, efforts were still efforts.

I wasn't excluded just because I had nigh omnipotent power in my disposal, though my effort was significantly less than the others. I'd requested to one of my house-elves, Barmy, to pack my 'belongings'. My belongings were nothing much; only a few set of clothes and the copies of grimoires I deemed important for my progress that contained information my house-elves had copied from the books in the Room of Requirements.

Why should I pack my effects myself if I had my ever loyal underlings who would happily oblige to my mere whim? I could only watch in amusement as my roommate, Terry Boot, was stuffing everything he deemed important to his trunk.

"Lustburg, are you going to stay in the castle?" inquired Terry Boot in the middle of his packing.

I shook my head calmly while flipping the page of interesting ancient grimoire about enchantment which was written by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. "I'm going home," I said. "I've promised my caretakers and some orphans in my orphanage that I'll return back for Yule Break."

Terry looked at me pointedly in puzzlement because he'd seen me pack my personal effects.

Knowing why he looked at me like that, even though I didn't raise my face to face him, I inquired something, which didn't seem to have relation with the topic of our small chat whatsoever, to him.

"Say, Boot, you're a pureblood, right?"

Terry nodded his head proudly, right before he sent an inquisitive look to me.

"What's it?" He probed curiously.

"Since you're a pureblood like you have claimed to be, I take it you know about the house-elves, right?"

"Of course," Terry Boot sniffed haughtily. "My family own one after all, Willy is his name, a hard worker one he is." He gave me another look, "Why were you asking that question?"

Finally, I raised my face from the book and faced him; my deadpan face made him self-conscious.

"If you're a pureblood who owns at least one house-elf, pray tell me why are you packing your things yourself like bloody plebs?"

Terry Boot stared at me silently, dumbfounded. He was sorted into Ravenclaw for a reason, alright, as he understood what I implied quickly. He palmed his face and then groaned softly. I felt amused at that yet I maintained my calm expression.

Terry Boots, one of the Ravenclaw first years, when I used my _Observation_ to him in the past, I got:

 **Terry Boots  
\- Race: Wizard  
\- Level: 11  
\- Health: 100  
\- Willpower: 300  
[Strength: 10] [Agility: 9] [Mind: 12] [Magic: 12]  
\- Details: the scion of Noble Boots House, he is member of Ravenclaw House who was sorted in 1991. At first, he was arrogant kid because his self-entitled feeling as a pureblood youth. However, he'd mellowed down after his anomalous housemates, Asmodias Lustburg, sorted out him and other dozens of children at once in the Ravenclaw Tower.**

"Bloody hell, Lustburg, you should tell me sooner!" Terry Boot complained with an annoyed tone.

"Well, maybe, you should strike a conversation with me sooner," I replied back wittily with a calm tone.

My pureblood roommate made a face, which explained his discontent. He sighed before he contemplated whether he should call his house-elf or not.

Understanding what he was thinking, I shook my head helplessly. The pureblood was a lost cause. Even those who were sorted into Ravenclaw — the house of the smarts and wits — seemed to be incapable of simple rational thought.

Taking pity, I decided to lend my counsel, only for this instance, and then said: "You know that Hogwarts has hundred house-elves, right?"

"Yes?" Boot looked at me unsurely.

I was sure if I didn't have my 'Gamer's Mind', I'd have lost my patience long ago when dealing with these dull-witted inbreeds.

"And you should have known that Hogwarts house-elves exist to support the students live in the castle. You can call them to assist you completing menial things without wasting your energy, you know. Hogwarts' house-elves live with the support from leylines under the Hogwarts castle, their masters and mistresses are the students themselves. If you're aware of it, you should've called them earlier."

Terry Boot showed a sour expression to me, signifying his dissatisfaction. It wasn't an odd sight for me to randomly poke fun to the apparent lack of logic of these wizards and witches. In fact, my existence was something acknowledged as the subject of despise and gratitude in one package for these young wizards and witches. Of course, I only targeted those who'd wronged me first.

I was the source of annoyance to them, as well as the source of help when they needed my help in study, and other thing. The students, who held dissatisfaction because of my wicked sense of humor, could only hold back their impotent anger without any outlet. They understood that it was high impossible for them to repay their grievances after my _heavy-wanded_ demonstration early on the year. They could only grit their teeth and curse me in their head while they made constipated expression.

After sighing despondently, Terry Boot called one of Hogwarts' house-elves and then commanded them to pack his important effects. The house elf only needed to snap his finger and Terry Boot's effects were sorted neatly inside his standard, a pureblood standard to be exact, the Hogwarts student's trunk.

I had known the discrimination in the wizarding world because of the series. However, experiencing it firsthand was different matter. If not because my 'Gamer's Mind', I'm sure that I'd go for killing spree long time ago. The discrimination was too much if I said so myself. Besides the names calling and scorn for us the muggleborn, the treatments for Pureblood and muggleborn was different.

For a small example were the differences between our trunks. We bought it from the same store in Diagon Alley, if I recall its name correctly, and the price was same. Yet, the quality was different. My trunk was made of simple wood with small expansion charm that doubled its internal space and faded canvas that made it looked like a hand-me-down trunk. Meanwhile, Terry Boot's trunk was basically a top tier quality with expansion charm that quadrupled its internal space and top quality materials such as high quality Oakwood, as the frame and high quality leather.

Realizing how close minded the magical society was and how deep the discrimination ran, I felt this society wasn't worth of my efforts. I might people in a whim, but I wasn't a selfless Good Samaritan who would help others in drop of a hat. My plan to support Holly in her quest to slay Lord Voldemort once for all was for a selfish reason. In the end, everything was for my own interest.

"I thought you were going to stay with how overprotective you were with Potter. If I don't know any better, I would think you fancy her."

My attention was dragged back to reality by Terry Boot's question. I stared at him blankly, making him to feel self-conscious. Many students had told me how K unnerved them when I did that. Of course, their confession fueled my drive to do that even further.

"Did it seem like that?"

Terry Boot nodded his head and then said "Yeah. Other houses thought you and Potter were an item with how overprotective you're to her and how she only spoke to you. But, the claws knew you just try to fix her cold attitude."

I hummed thoughtfully. If one looked at our interaction, it was reasonable for them to mistake my manner around her. I cared for her because she was one of the important key to my easy life. Well, I sounded like a golddigger with how I worded it. It was true that Holly was filthy rich, but I didn't care about her wealth or her fame for I could command my House Elves to go night raid a mafia organization, or even muggle bank, and I was indifferent to fame.

Holly was the key to deal with Lord Voldemort per the prophecy. I didn't believe in prophecy in my past life, but in a world where mysterious phenomenon known as magic existed and as a daily occurrence in this madhouse of a castle, I couldn't ignore it carelessly.

There was many ways to deal with Lord Voldemort problem, but everything would affect my aim in a way or another. The only way to ensure my calm and peaceful future was letting the world to know it was Holly who deals the real killing blow to the Dog Lord.

"By the way, I heard rumors that you have become close with Su Li lately and Granger got close, or at least, she tried, to you too. Were those rumors true?" inquired Terry Boots.

It seems to me that he was in the mood for a small chat, disregarding the fact that I was holding an open book and reading it a while ago. I still wanted to read my book in peace, but I decided to humor him in a whim. Even I would feel lonely without proper social activities for prolonged time.

I contemplated my answer for a moment.

What Terry Boots had stated was a truth. I had spent my time to have discussion about Chinese sorcery with Su Li lately when I wasn't busy with my stuff.

After the whole fiasco with the troll and found out my mysterious stalker was actually her whom Holly had asked to keep an eye to me, I was being open with my interest to her paternal homeland sorcery. Su had told me there were many ranks in Chinese sorcery system, called circle. There were three lesser circles in three great circle ranks. She didn't explain it thoroughly and only gave me a short summary, but she told me that she was only at first lesser circle in second great circle ranks. As the scion of The Most Distinguished Venerable Li Clan which had started in Chinese Qin Dynasty in 221-207 BC and only surfaced in Chinese Tang Dinasty at 6th to 9th century AD. She had passed the first great circle at ten. She was considered as genius amongst her clan's young generations which generally passed the first great circle at fifteen.

She was registered in Hogwarts Book of Name because her British blood she got from her mother.

Besides the ranking system of Chinese Taoist, Su also mentioned their brand of sorcery such as pill concocting as the equivalent to Witchcraft Potion Brewing art, Artefact Crafting, Talisman Creation and Taoism Spells. The way she only explained it shortly and full of suspension made me think she was deliberately baiting me to learn it by my own decision. When I realized that, I was amazed by her cunningness and resourcefulness. I didn't take it as offense. On the contrary, I was grateful to her because she'd made me realized there was more to this world than what I knew from the series.

The rumor of my friendship with Hermione Granger, meanwhile, stemmed out from her attempt to repay my heroic deed in saving her in that Halloween night. At that time, I was reading an interesting book in library, when she found me. After she thanked me, she looked at the book in my hand and became curious. She asked a question about the book. My habit to give a proper answer to the curious children that stemmed out from my days in orphanage started the long academic discussion about magic, and before I knew it, Hermione had become one of familiar face around me. Of course, I still kept my distance because I hadn't honestly had any plan to create any connection with her.

However, I underestimated her dedication and stubbornness. Because I wasn't the type to dish those who never wronged me, I couldn't stop her. In the end, we were often seen together when I was in break from my project and had academic discussion, which was basically her asking something she doesn't understand about magic or wizarding society as the whole.

I wouldn't say I was omniscient, but I had rough understanding of the wizarding world's culture in the beginning and I'd been polishing my understanding of wizarding culture in my free time.

"I'm not so sure about the rumors running in Hogwarts rumor mills, but I would say we're good acquaintances," I answered at least.

Terry Boots peered at me skeptically.

"Really?" He said, "I'm not sure about Granger, but I heard Li's family was quite old and wealthy in her homeland. Her father is also the Chinese ambassador under ICW approval. If you marry into her family, at least, you can alleviate your status. Although our society looks down on foreigners, it's better than how we look on muggleborn." He paused and then hurriedly added, "I hope you didn't take offences from that."

"None taken," I nodded my head to him.

Inwardly, I frowned at the outlook the youth before me had displayed. I'd realized the young purebloods were all almost like this because the early education they got from their parents or guardians. Their outlooks weren't different to the outlook of muggle noble before the Renaissance between fourteenth and seventeenth century. These prepubescents were also aware of something that only adults understand, for example: sex, politic, and other skill that was suitable for a politician to the T.

I shook my head to clear the needless thoughts in my head and then said: "I guess, thanks for the advice. But, I'm still eleven and it won't be a couple of years until I have interest to something like that."

"You're welcome, I suppose." Terry Boots said with an unsure tone, then shook his head and said "Let me give you another advice. It's better if you plan ahead to prepare your life. Although we're only eleven now, but our age won't stop progressing. Just snatch Li or our Patil, since she seems more cordial to you unlike her twin sister in Gryffindor, before someone else snatched them. Use underhanded methods if you must. You're brilliant, though you're very annoying sometimes, but your brilliance is wasted if you don't have a solid backer to sponsor you."

I nodded my head to show my acknowledgments. Terry Boots sighed, satisfied from my reaction, before he stood up from his sitting position. Then, he said "Are you going down for breaks? I won't mind to have company on the way."

I shook my head, politely declining his invitation to go down for breakfast in the Great Hall, and then said "You go down first. I'll join the others later."

"If you say so," said Terry Boots as he shrugged his shoulders, then he left our room to get his well-deserved breakfast.

I watch his back until he disappeared behind the door, then massaged the bridge of my nose. "Bloody hell, what a shitty discussion between two eleven years," I grumbled under my breath.

Discussion like what happened earlier never failed to remind me on how much were the differences between the pureblood children and the innocent boys and girls in my orphanage or the muggleborn first years.

With a quick 'tempus', I checked the time. Then, I stored my book into my Inventory and left my room to go down for breakfast in the Great Hall.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Chapter was fixed at March 28th, 2018**_


	8. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1st Year (07)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

—

"Take care of yourself, Holly. Send me Hedwig if you're lonely," Su Li said as she embraced Holly Potter in her arm.

"Don't worry about me. Just enjoy your vacation," said Holly as she was hugging her roommate back.

As this warm scene happened, I was standing near the two girls' positions. I watched them with warm eyes. The scene before me was really heartwarming, enough to counter the cold temperature of the end of December. Alright, it wasn't entirely true as I was warming myself with the warming charm.

At the moment, the three of us were in the castle's entrance.

After the breakfast down in the Great Hall, we went there to speak short farewell to each other. Mostly, it was the two girls in my sight.

Earlier, Padma was also here with us but her twin sister, Parvati, had dragged her to climb the carriage with Lavender Brown. The more active and energetic one of the Patil twin seemed to be impatient to go home and they had left first.

Nothing was wrong with that. The first years were only new students and it was normal for them to feel homesick. This year was the first time they weren't with their family for a prolonged time. Holly and I were the rare exceptions that not show any symptom of homesickness. We had each other circumstances, I supposed.

Holly was wearing a casual dress consisted of long-sleeved white blouse with cute frill on the buttons line, knee length skirts that covered her short slender legs which were covered by black leggings and a pair of polished black leather boots.

On the other hand, Su Li was wearing pure white one piece dress with ribbon tied into butterfly knot on her front, cream colored long skirts and a pair of dark brown boots. Meanwhile, I was wearing a simple long-sleeved navy blue shirt, a pair beige colored cargo pants and a pair of black-and-white sneakers.

The two girls finally ended their farewell hug. As Su walked to my right, Holly turned her sight in my direction; she stared at me with a pair of troubled eyes. I wasn't sure what she was thinking until she showed such a complicated look but I took it as an invitation to crack a joke.

"There, there, you can hug me if you want," I said jokingly as I opened my arms wide in an invitation.

However, Holly snorted in unladylike manner then retorted coldly.

"Who want to hug you?"

I smiled helplessly at that and then dropped my hands. I chuckled to myself as I recalled my previous conversation with my roommate, Terry Boots, before breakfast. Now, I understood why other students would think I and Holly was in relationship, disregarding the fact that we were still eleven years old.

 _"Should I keep my distance from her?"_ I questioned myself in my head and then shook my head as I cleared my mind.

Distancing myself from Holly sounded a tempting idea but a part of me was against the idea because her attitude. It would be a counterproductive of my effort so far. Her aversion to the male in general was very bad if it was left alone and let to root in her heart. I didn't know what would happen but I'd decided to help her fix her attitude before I slowly distanced myself from her.

After that, Su and I stepped down the stone steps and walked on the snow covered ground to the last carriage which was awaiting us in front of the castle's entrance. I could feel Holly's pointed gaze on my back for a while, before she pivoted on her heels and then went inside the castle. As the carriage became closer, I scrutinized the empty spot in front of the carriage with interest. There was nothing to pull it off, yet I knew there was an invisible magical creature pulling it. It seems that I couldn't see the Thestrals yet. It piqued my interest. The carriage was the last unit since I decided to wait for other students to leave first. Su only followed my decision and she agreed with my choice for taking the last carriage because there would be less crowded.

"You can't see it?" said Su, snapping my attention from the empty spot in front of the carriage and then continued as I peered at her. "The Thestral, I meant."

I moved my sight back to where the Thestral supposedly was and then nodded my head. "Yes," I finally spoke. "Could you see it?"

"En," Su nodded her head as she replied curtly.

"If my memory is correct, Thestral can only be seen by those who have seen death, no?"

"Yes. I can see it because I've seen my grandmother's last moment in her deathbed a few years ago," said Su sullenly.

I rebuked myself inwardly because I had been insensitive to her. "Sorry," I apologized to Su. "I've made you remember a painful memory."

Su shook her head then showed her smiling face in my sight. "No need to worry about me. It'd happened long in the past. I have moved on from it."

We became silent thereafter, right before we climbed up the wooden steps to the last carriage. I helped Su to show my gentleman side and she showed her appreciation as she spoke "What a gentleman, my thanks" to me. Afterwards, the carriage moved to Hogsmeade station. We kept to ourselves along the way as the Asian witch had demure mannerism.

After the carriage stopped, I helped Su to climb down the wooden steps then we walked on the snow covered ground to the Hogwarts Express's car at the furthest back. I helped her once again as Su climbed up the iron steps and then searched for empty compartment I could use alone. Surprisingly, Su followed me inside after I found empty compartment.

As I put my special protection on the door, which consisted of locking charm, anti-Alohomora charm and transfiguring the doorknob and the door to melt with the iron wall, Su was taking out her shrunken trunk and levitated it to the iron rack above our head. After I finished my works, I followed Su's example then sat down on the empty seat across Su.

For a moment, I stared at Su owlishly as I didn't have any idea what to do. I had intention to inquire about her Chinese sorcery, but I didn't know how to broach the subject without being impolite. Fortunately, Su showed mercy to me as she opened her mouth first.

"So, do you have something to ask?"

I nodded my head then moisten my lower lip with my tongue, before I said "I have been thinking about this, but can you teach me the Chinese's ancient martial art?"

I had tried to recreate the skill myself, but I had missed the important component in my attempt. Said important component still eluded me until now. Because of that, my experiment ended with failure. Each time I tried, my hand got blown up. I had become tired of pain and the failure and thus I wanted Su's help.

To create a skill, there were requirements I needed to complete first. The first and foremost was the status attributes; some skill needed me to have status attributes to surpass certain limit and I never had problem with it, much to my delight. The second and the last requirement was, at least, to know the theory or mechanism behind the skill I wanted to create and I rarely met this problem. Though I met some problems in the past, the books and documents the Room of Requirement provided for me was enough to help me out. However, it was different this time. Although the pain wasn't much after my Pain Resistance skill's level had increased a lot, it still stung and I wasn't a masochist to begin with.

Speaking of the above-mentioned skill, the details were like this:

 **Pain Resistance (Passive) Level: 61 (** **31.6** **%) - a skill that lessens the pain the user feels when harmed.  
Effect: Reduce pain by ****45.75** **%**

I watched Su reaction as I was waiting for her answer. She made a contemplative face for a while before Su replied, "To be honest, I'm not sure if I can teach you this skill, since this is Li family secret. But, I'll ask my father and let's hope he accepts your request."

I nodded my head at that. Although she answered vaguely, it was better than nothing. There was still a chance for me to learn it.

Afterwards, we kept to ourselves. I took a copy of the grimoire with thorough explanation of ancient Elder Futhark runes I'd tasked my minions to copy it in the past while Su took out her copy of ' _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection'_ by Quentin Trimble. Since there was nothing to speak and we weren't social butterflies, we enjoyed our peace while reading our books to spend the time on the way.

— **»O«—**

Hours passed quickly and Hogwarts Express finally arrived in the King Cross station in London. All students who visited their home for Yule Break and Boxing Day climbed down the train's cars then went to their family members that would take them back home. I was the only one who didn't have somebody waiting for me or taking me back to the orphanage.

I had lied to Su that someone would take me to the orphanage. If I didn't lie to them, I could imagine they would ask their parents to send me to my orphanage. I couldn't let that happen since I had my reason to lie in the first place.

As I stepped outside the train station, it was already dark outside. The sky was dark, clouds blocked the starlight and the snows were falling steadily. If not because the warming charm I'd applied to myself, I would feel the chilling air. I tried to ignore the curious onlookers because of my thin clothes. Maybe, I should have worn thick clothes. I shook my head and then searched for empty spot. After a while, I found the nondescript alley that suited my need then called one of my faithful minions.

"Barmy!" I called the leader of my House-elves Black Ops softly.

"Does Master Lusty-Bug Sir need Barmy's service?" said the house-elf who was wearing customized camouflage army uniform that fit his small stature. He wore beret on his head crookedly, signifying his status as the leader of my black ops. He had appeared with a soft 'pop' sound, immediately after I called his name.

"Yes. Please take me to our hideout," I answered.

"Sir, yes sir!" said Barmy as he saluted. After he said that, Barmy offered his wrinkle-skinned hand, I accepted it. A second later, Barmy took me to my hideout with a silent 'Pop' sound.

Since I'd become accustomed to the unpleasant aftereffect of magical transportation, there was no problem as Barmy took me to our hideout via House-elf's brand of teleportation.

My hideout was an underground base a kilometer away under my orphanage. I had tasked my ever loyal minions to build it with their convenient magic. They were proven to be quick workers as they finished their task in less than a day.

Arriving in the underground hideout, I inspected the place Barmy had taken me in. It was a large, spacious room with smooth walls, floor and ceiling. There was a long table with dozens of small chairs. There was a single elevated chair differed from the others. The different chair was mine, very obvious from the size alone. This room was supposedly the meeting room. There were a few doors with different nameplate on each door.

I sat down on the biggest chair, before I spoke to Barmy.

"How is the preparation for Project Power Plant?"

"We have finished our preparation. Materials are being stored in the room number seven, Master Lusty-Bug sir," Barmy reported.

I glanced at the room with number seven nameplate and then nodded my head in satisfaction. "You did a good job. Know that I, as your master, am proud of you, Barmy."

The house-elf burst wept happily at my words. Since his voice was very loud, I silenced the space around him. After that, I called the other house-elves that I had tasked with something important. I hope they'd finished their task.

"Pussy, Butty, report!"

The aforementioned house-elves suddenly appeared before me and then saluted to my direction. These two house-elves were a male and a female. Pussy was the female house-elf while Butty was the male house-elf. They wore the customized army uniform like Barmy, though they didn't wear beret on their heads.

After I accepted their military salute, I asked the duo about their task. "Have you two finished the task I'd given in the past?"

The duo nodded their heads and then began their report.

"We have finished our task master!" said Pussy with proud expression.

"We have raided House Black's Manor in number 12 Grimmauld Place as ordered Boss!" added Butty.

"Any problem you met there?" I inquired calmly.

"There is one, Boss." The one who spoke was pussy. At my inquiry look, Pussy elaborated, "Kreature, the house-elf of House Black, was being the problem. He had gone bonker. But, Boss needn't worry. We have freed him from his misery."

I ignored the dangerous gleam in Pussy's eyes as she mentioned how she unashamedly reported how she killed the old house-elf. The crazy house-elf had patted her gun holster lovingly as she said that. Inwardly, I wonder if I'd gone too far with their indoctrination and brainwashing. I decided to ignore it then beckoned them to continue.

"We have cleaned everything of value as boss ordered." This time, it was Butty's turn to report. "All books and artifacts have been stored into our warehouse. We also wrote everything in order from the most to the less dangerous, boss!"

"Give me the list!"

Butty snapped his finger then a scroll appeared before me with a soft 'Pop' sound. I took it then unrolled the scroll. I nodded my head as I read the list written in it. After a while, I raised my head from the scroll then looked at Butty. "Did you get the main priority?" Butty nodded. "Bring it to me!"

The house-elf snapped his fingers again then a silk pouch appeared before me. I carefully untied the pouch and took the Slytherin locked from it. I used my Observation skill on it and got its information:

 **Name: Salazar Slytherin's Locket  
Rarity: Rare  
Durability: ?  
Details: the Locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin, it has been turned into horcrux by Tom Riddle, turning it unbreakable.**

After making sure it was one of Lord Voldemort's horcruxes, I stored it together with its brethren into my Inventory. With this, I had collected the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and a moment ago, the Locket of Salazar Slytherin. Two of the horcruxes had been stored inside my safe Inventory, what left were the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, Tom Riddle's old Diary and the Ring of Gaunt House. I decided to leave the cup and the dairy alone for now since I could get my hand on the dairy next year while the ring was still useful to trap Dumbledore. Meanwhile, the cup was something I could take after I got the key to access House Lestrange's vault in the Gringotts. Well, it was for another time.

Speaking of Dumbledore, I wasn't sure about his character. I was very wary of him because I'd read too much Evil Dumbledore fanfiction before my death. The canon Dumbledore wasn't bad per see, it was just he had too far sighted that made him a bit Machiavellian. Scratch that, he wasn't a bit of Machiavellian. Many people mistook him as a villain with the crazy tests he'd prepared for Harry Potter. The old coot was more paranoid than Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody in his bad day. The only thing that made him seem to be laid back was he knows he is powerful.

I wasn't sure about his level, but he was still above me even I was almost level 30. For now, I should stay low key, as low key I could be and wait and see his game. However, I was sure the old man would die by the withering curse in the horcrux ring. He was too dangerous to be left alone after all.

I rapped my fingers on the table as I mulled my plan. There were many things I needed to do.

 _"That can be put aside for later date. For now, I should finish Project Power Plant first. But, before that..."_ I put aside my distracting thoughts and then turned my attention to Pussy and Butty. "Rejoice my loyal minions for you two have completed your task very well. You two can continue back to your usual routine until I have another special task for you. You two have my utmost gratitude," I declared calmly.

The two house-elves burst into happy tears from my praise. They bawled in happiness while repeatedly said "Boss is too kind." Since they joined Barmy as a wreck on the floor, I ignored their happy cry and silenced the area round them, so they wouldn't disturb the order. After that, I raised my body from my chair and went to the room number seven.

After entering, I found myself in 10x10 meter square room with nothing but a slab of Calcite with 10cm thickness and pure fluorite the size of a person's head.

At the sight of these two precious stones with magical properties, I immediately took my runes engraving kit I'd liberated from Room of Missing Things and began my works.

The Project Power Plant was my project to create independent source of magic energy to support the house-elves. At the moment, I need to supply twelve house-elves with my own MP and each day I needed to spend at least 1200pts of Willpower to support them. It was a handicap I needed to get rid quickly.

With my level of Runes skill, I could create an intermediate level runes scheme to collect magic energy from the land and atmosphere. It would be better if I built it above strong leylines like the one under Hogwarts' castle. At the moment, what I attempted was sufficient. When I moved to new place with strong ambience of magic energy, I could create the better version of the 'Power Plant', not only to support my minions but also to empower myself.

"Let's see... In total, I need to engrave seven different runes, and the total is forty nine runes. For the scheme itself seven pronged stars with the fluorite in the center. Firstly first, let's begin with the star..."

And a moment later, I began to immerse myself in my work.

— **»O«—**

Time flied quickly when one's busy, I couldn't agree more with that saying. Morning arrived and with silent Tempus charm, I found it was around 9AM. I sent a last look to my finished rune scheme on the Calcite slab. It was seven pronged star inside a big circle with smaller circles where the tips of the star should be. Inside the circle was different runes; Jera, Sowilo, Hagalaz, Inguz, Fehu, Ehwaz and Algiz. Each rune had important usage.

Jera would connect the altar into the air and the land. Sowilo would absorb integrate the energy from land and air into one magic energy. Hagalaz would maintain the steady balance between the land and the air. Inguz would store the energy. Fehu would send the stored energy to the house-elves in a steady stream. Ehwaz would maintain the connection between me, the altar and the house-elves. The last was Algiz which would reinforce the effect of other runes together.

I carefully activated the magic circle(?) using a drop of my blood as carrier of my will and magic energy. The moment the drop of blood dropped into the indention, the whole magic circle was lit by mysterious cyan light. Next, I could feel the magic energy in the air and the land was absorbed into the fluorite steadily.

As I used my observation on the altar, a small screen appeared before my eyes. It showed:

 **Name: Unnamed Altar  
Rank: Uncommon  
Durability: ****500** **/** **500** **(Regeneration: 10/H)  
Details: an altar, created by aspiring sorcerer Asmodias Lustburg, which the use is to absorb ambient magic energy in the land and the air and as the main supply for the house-elves, this altar has ****5000** **units maximum containment capacity and can regenerate** **210** **units/hour.**

I called Barmy and then told him my plan. The leader of my House-elves Black Ops agreed readily and moved his bond to the altar without problem. After I did the same thing to the other house-elves, I left my underground hideout and 'apparated' to one of nondescript alley near my orphanage with my trunk hanging in my left hand then walked to my orphanage's entrance. My Sense Presence skill told me where my two minions — Dicky and Ballsy — whom I had appointed to keep an eye around my orphanage were hiding under house-elves brand of invisibility magic.

My eyes carefully scrutinized the building as I passed the gate. I could see the difference in it. The faded paint on the wall was gone and the building looked new. I felt a huge amount of satisfaction when I saw this, right before my Gamer's Mind returned my mind into its default calmness.

I had told my minions to drop anonymous envelope with stacks of bills in the orphanage mailbox. This orphanage had care for me after I was reborn in this world. Of course, I would repay their kindness.

Soon, I entered the building without announcing my arrival. The majority of the orphans were in their schools. There were some children below five years old who hadn't entered school yet. When they realized my arrival, their eyes turned wide and then shouted "Big Brother Dias" loudly and dashed to me. Immediately afterwards, I found I was being surrounded by many children. I laughed openly and greeted them back.

"Dias? Is that you?"

I heard Carla's voice then turned my head to where it came from. I saw the lovely matron was standing in the archway with surprised expression.

"Yep," I replied playfully. "I'm back for Christmas like I'd promised."

Carla walked to me in hurry. The children immediately made a way for the sole matron of this orphanage. When Carla was standing before me, she hugged me and then rained my face with kisses. I knew she didn't have ambiguous intention by that, but I was still an adult inside. Being kissed by such a lovely lady like her, I felt weird.

After Carla showered me with her affection, she dragged me to her office.

"Say, how's your new school?" Carla inquired after we settled ourselves in her small study. "Do you have any problem in it?"

"Who do you think I am?" I replied back with a small grin on my face.

Carla checked my expression as she tried to find any trace of deceit, but found none. She sighed in relief. "I'm glad you're not wronged in that place. I was worried you wouldn't fit right there."

"You seem to have low confidence about me," I pointed out.

"It's not like that," said Carla, defending herself. "It's because I know you. You won't fit normal children around your age with how you act."  
I shrugged my shoulders silently. There was nothing for me to say. Her assessment about me was spot on.

My eyes roamed around as I prepared the setting to broach the subject of the new orphanage state. The condition of Carla's small study was way better than its previous condition before I left to Hogwarts.

My eyes landed on her and then I said: "Well, it seems that this place had been renovated. I thought I arrived in a wrong place."  
Contrary to my expectation, Clara sighed tiredly and then slouched in the chair as if there was unseen weight pressuring her small shoulder. I was alarmed when I saw that.

"What's wrong?" I urged the single woman to speak.

She seemed to be hesitant for a moment, before she nodded her head, agreed to share what was bothering her mind. "You see, there have been anonymous donations, someone had been leaving stacks of bills in orphanage's mailbox in past several months. Now, I think about it, it started after you left." She gave me a look that spoke her curiosity and suspicion. "Do you know anything about it?"

I feigned an incredulous look to her then said "Do I look like I know anything about it?"

"My thought, mostly." Clara nodded her head slowly then sighed heavily. Her lovely face marred with trace of frustration and exhaustion. She continued where she stopped earlier, "It was impossible for you to be related with this. After all, the amounts of the donations weren't small."

I kept my calm face. I knew very well how much the donations were. After all, I was the one who were behind those donations, but there was no way I would acknowledge it with my own mouth. Let the mysterious donator stays mysterious. However, I needed to erase Clara's anxiety. If she continued to think about this, she would waste her energy for nothing. I contemplated my next for a moment then climbed down my chair. Clara trailed my movement with her clear eyes as I walked to her then stopped behind her chair. The next moment, I gave her massage to lessen her stiff muscle.

"Mhh . . . Yesss," hissed Carla as I kneaded her stiff muscle. Although she did it unintentionally, I must acknowledge that her voice sounded very seductive. I was glad that my puberty hadn't started yet, or it would be problem to hold back.

"Are you anxious because of this unknown donator?" I inquired as I massaged her shoulder. Clara nodded her head with grim face. "Why?" I made a puzzled face.

"It's just that, the fact it was the unknown in itself that made me anxious. I suppose, I should be thankful for the donation, since it helped the orphanage a lot, but I'm not sure what is the unknown donator's true purpose. I wish I could meet with him or her once to show my gratitude as the matron and to find out what's his or her true purpose. However, I couldn't find any contact about him or her. Whoever it was, the donator never left clue to who she or he was."

I nodded my head slowly as I accepted her reasoning. I never thought there would be this kind of effect. It seems that the proverb 'the road to the hell is paved with good intentions.' I needed to rectify this, but I wasn't sure what should I do. I only stayed in there for Christmas and Boxing Day, and the day after that, I needed to go back to Scotland.

"Anyway, thank you for listening to my problem," said Carla. Her voice broke me out of my musings. "It had been tiring a few months. I could feel my burden is lessened somewhat."

"Well, I know the words from a brat like me weigh nothing, but I think you needn't not to overthink it." At her puzzled look, I elaborated further.

"You know that it had been months and nothing happened, right? Maybe the unknown donator didn't have any unknown motive and he or she was giving those donations because they earnestly wanted to help out? Who knows, perhaps they were someone who'd lived in this orphanage once."

"To your guess, I must say I disagree with it." Carla shook her head helplessly. "I had contacted the successful people who'd lived here in the past, but they seemed to know nothing."

I shrugged my shoulder at that. If she kept wasting her energy to overthink this unknown donator puzzle, she could continue as she wished. She was adult who knew were her priority was. However, I felt the need to help her somehow. After contemplating for a moment, an idea popped up in my head.

"Well, it seems to be a sound idea." I mused silently as I watched Clara's beautiful neck in my peripheral vision. "Let's wait until I return to Hogwarts first and then I'll do it."

—

I spent the rest of Yule Break and Boxing Day in the orphanage without any problem. At the day, I would help Clara with her responsibility as the matron or do my share of chores obediently. My return in the orphanage was welcomed as well as unwelcomed by the young residents. Such a contradictory. Those who liked me welcomed me happily while the trouble children openly showed their dissatisfaction to my return. As I expected, they'd made many problem for Clara when I wasn't around. I used my time to sort them like I did in the past.

I had asked my house-elves brigade to prepare the gifts for the children in orphanage and several acquaintances I'd made in Hogwarts.  
For the children in my orphanage, I tasked my house elves to buy toys, new clothes and sweets and then warp and tag those gifts, before put them under the Christmas tree in the orphanage's hall. As for my acquaintances I'd made in Hogwarts, who could be counted with one hand, I prepared a bit more than normal gift.

For Holly, I had a copy of a book with protection and detection charms written in it, as well as a box full of sweets for her midnight snacking. I didn't forget to tell Wonky to take a picture of her reaction when she opened her present.

To Su, I had a copy of a book with list of nasty curses, but weren't banned by Ministry of Magic, and another box of sweets.

As for the Patil twin, I had a copy of a book with a list of useful charms for Padma because of her studious nature while I had magical ornament, which wouldn't seem odd to be worn by a young witch until her teenage, for Parvati as I knew she had started to present herself from her friendship with Lavender Brown. I didn't forget to give them a box of sweets.

The night of Christmas Eve, I helped Clara preparing the celebration. Some children helped, but not everyone. Because the 'anonymous' donation in these months, for once since I lived in here, the orphanage could provide a worthy celebration party for the orphans. It was the best party I had attended in orphanage since I lived there.

Early in Christmas morning, the orphans were making ruckus in the recreational room. Their commotion awoke Clara early. When the single woman checked the commotion, she was startled because each orphan was busy tearing their present. I wasn't excluded. I calmly tore my own present with my name written on the wrapping as I observed the reaction of everyone. They seemed happy from the present. It was the first time they got many presents in Christmas.

"Dias, what in the world is happening? From where were these presents coming from?" Clara inquired with a flustered face.

I raised my head and then replied with "I don't know. They were already there when I went down." Of course, it was a blatant lie for I was fully aware who'd put the presents under the Christmas tree. "Anyway," I continued where I stopped earlier. "There was an envelope directed to you."

I offered the aforementioned envelope. It was a thick, brown colored envelope. Clara hesitantly accepted the envelope and then tore it open slowly. She took a peek inside and her eyes became wide.

"What is it? You seem surprised by it?" I feigned curious expression as I said that.

My questions snapped Clara out of her trance. She shakily shook her head then gave me a shaky smile.

"Er, no-nothing," she answered with a quivering tone. Her lips were trembling slightly, right before she pressed them tightly and made a straight line. "I-I have to do something in my study. Can you keep an eye to everyone else?"

I nodded my head wordlessly, agreed to her request and then watched the single woman left the room in hurry. The corner of lips curled upwards after her back disappeared.

"Why was big sis Clara leaving?"

I turned my head to look at the sound origin then saw Natasha crouching next to me. Because of how crowded the room was, she had slipped next to me unnoticed.

I had been aware of my Sense Presence flaw. The effect was lessening in a confined, crowded place. Although it was flawed, I didn't mind it. I still had my Sense Danger that would alert me of incoming danger or mischief even in a confined, crowded place.

"I don't know. She seemed to be in a big surprise when she saw what inside that envelope," I answered Natasha's inquiry.

"Was it something bad?"

"I don't think so. Maybe Clara was startled because she got her own present?"

"How could it be a present? It was too small to be a present."

I grinned at the innocent statement Natasha had asked me and then ignored her inquiry and questioned her with my own question: "What did you get?"

Natasha grinned widely, she seemed very happy and then pushed the box in her arms to me. "Look at it! I got very pretty dress and a box of sweets!" she said excitedly.

With a fond smile on my face, I accepted the box and then opened the lid to look inside. I nodded at the new set of clothes still in wrapper and bunch of sweets inside the box. "Do you like it?" I inquired.

"Yes," Natasha answered quickly as she nodded her head rapidly. "I like my present so much! This is my first ever present in Christmas! Bless the person who sent these presents to us!"

I felt a mild satisfaction in my chest, before my 'Gamer's Mind' smothered it.

At the time like this, I wished I could find a way to switch my 'Gamer's Mind' from on to off. I couldn't properly enjoy the pleasant feelings I experienced if this skill kept mucking with my head.

Shaking my head as I cleared my mind and then I spent my time in orphanage to check the other orphans until the lunch came.

Soon, the time to return back to Hogwarts arrived. Clara and Natasha said their goodbye to me before I joined the bustling crowd in the King Cross station.

—

 _ **Footnote:  
**_ _ **The chapter was fixed at March 28th,2018**_


	9. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1st Year (08)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

—

It was the time when the moon was at the peak and eliminating the dark land below, when the students from first years to seventh years were sleeping soundly in their beds in their dorm, bar the mischievous ones, who'd rendezvoused with their partners in the broom closets, and the patrolling Perfects. It was also the time when I was sorting out the written reports of their activities in December and January written by my lovely minions. In the end of each month since I formed my House-elves Black Ops, I need to spare my time to sort the reports from my cute, loyal minions.

Today is the end of January 1992, and in the next dozens of second, February will arrive.

Yet, the snows are still falling outside of the castle and the air is very cold. I need to apply a warming charm to keep my comfort.

I was sitting in a comfortable couch in a comfortable study, which was decorated by elegant and sophisticated furniture, while reading the chicken scrawls on the long parchment in my hand. I'd become accustomed to the atrocious handwriting, much to my inner bemusement, after reading the same handwritings each months since I had finished conditioning and training my first three minions.

A wise man has said "consistency in learning makes perfect" in the past, but I truly realized the truth after I experienced it firsthand. I didn't think that skillfully reading the horrible handwritings was something I need to feel proud of, but I digressed as I was reading the atrocious writing like my second nature.

The written report was quite long. The house-elves which had written these things were sure enjoying their time to write these reports. Unfortunately, from the longwinded reports they wrote, almost 90% of the total written report was something I deemed as a dairy written by children, and only the leftover was truly important information.

Skimming, oh how I loved this technique. With my quick eye movement, which was coordinated with my fast thought speed, I could easily skim a parchment in less than five seconds. High AGI and INT status attribute helped me a lot to finish this tedious job fast, it was no joke!

Another parchment has been skimmed over and nothing except fervent praise to me and how grateful the female house-elf called Wonky to be one of my house-elves. It was another wasteful resource, I suppose. It wasn't the first time I silently have to wonder if I should let the house-elves to report everything verbally. I immediately disregarded that notion since listening to their broken speech was more troublesome than reading their chicken scrawls with broken grammar. At least, I can skim the parchment to cut short the process. I don't think my Gamer's Mind can keep my sanity intact as I listen to their broken speech for hours.

For a while, being spent to read the fervent praises and excessive worship as I skimmed through several parchments, I finally found something useful. I slowed down my speed into a careful reading, trying to decipher the broken grammar used by the house-elves as my eyes scanned the parchment. A moment later, my lips curled up slightly as I found interesting information in Wonky's report. It was the most useful bits from the one meter and half fully written parchment long report the zealous and loyal house-elf had written down.

"As I expected, that old codger really did it, huh?" I mumbled silently as I put down the parchment on the table, placing it mindfully so it wouldn't bump into the sophisticated old ink fountain from gold with elegant feather quill dipped in it.

As Holly's shadow, I had tasked Wonky to keep eyes to Holly's activities in 24 hours and write down what the girl has been doing in those times, though I wished the hardworking house-elf didn't write down when Holly was taking a shower or using toilet. It was too much even for me.

I am well aware it can be considered as a crime, for stalking act is disturbing other's privacy. I acknowledged that what I tasked Wonky to do can be considered as crime and a violation of one's privacy, but it is for the best, I suppose. Now, I've found out that Albus Dumbledore did the same thing his canon counterpart had done in the first year of the series. He'd returned back the Cloak of Invisibility in the Christmas morning and put a compulsion and tracking enchantments on it. The enchantments on the cloak made Holly to have a night stroll until she stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised.

There was a small part of me wished to know what the girl has seen in that Mirror, the girl's deepest heart's desire, before I put aside that insignificant curiosity in the dark corners of my mind where other insignificant thoughts will be left forgotten. What Holly desires isn't my problem. The girl has freedom to desire what she wants and keep it to herself.

"And he has moved his piece on the board. Hagrid, huh? Good grief, that oaf is truly gullible. For someone with giant blood in him, he has a too honest for his own good heart."

I sighed, feeling a tad disappointed by how everything had gone so far. It wasn't like I disliked how everything proceeded just as I expected it to be. My foreknowledge of what'd happen in the year 1991 to 1992 in Hogwarts made everything to be too easy for me. It wasn't a bad thing, mind you. It was just a small part of me wished for challenge, but of course, I denied that small part because it wasn't a rational and logical choice.

Only a fool gives his enemy the advantage over him, and I'm sure I don't want to be a foolish clown who plays with his own life and will get his buttocks bitten miserably later. The stake is too much. I mean, it was my life and future I bet on.

I drummed my fingers on the smooth surface of the desk, noting how nice it was as I mulled all information I've amassed so far. "Let's see, Dumbledore is really going to put the Philosopher Stone in this place to bait Quirrellmort and test Holly. Surprisingly, the _Daily Prophet_ clipboards didn't tickle her curiosity. It is likely that Holly won't proactively meddle in the old codger's plot. I feel it's a waste to let the stone destroyed just like that. Although I feel that I'm not interested to the Stone's elixirs, it's other function to transmute a lead into a pure gold is more useful for me now. Although I can command my cute minions to rob banks or criminal organizations, I can't ask them to do it forever. I suppose, the stone is important as my fund raiser."

I made a thoughtful face, thinking what I should do next as I spun the metaphorical gear in my head. A moment later, I know what I shall do next.

"Barmy!"

I called the leader of my ever growing house-elves brigade. He appeared beside my chair with a soft 'pop' sound and then gave me a military salute. I acknowledged his salute, nodding my head to his direction, and then I quickly told him his new task.

"Is there an able body from the new members to do a simple recon mission? At least, I need those who have finished their basic training."

Barmy made a pensive face as he thought carefully of his answer for my question. Then, he nodded his head as he said, "Sir, yes sir! Dinky and Potty have finished their basic trainings, sir. Does Master Lusty-Bug sir need the new members to do a job?"

I nodded my head silently at that. Inwardly, I was recalling the two house-elves Barmy had mentioned.

Dinky and Potty were from a group of house-elves that joined the House-elves Black Ops after the New Year. The total house-elves joined my underground organization was more than twenty, giving me more than thirty house-elves to follow my whim. They just passed their rite to adulthood and searched for a magical family to serve. When they heard the news about my growing house-elves underground organization, they tried their luck by trying to join us. Of course I accepted them with open arms because house-elves are multifunctional resources in my eyes.

House-elves were really useful little tykes. Because there had almost none anti-house-elf wards been erected in all key places such as Ministry of Magic, Diagon Alley and Hogwarts, house-elves could freely enter that place easily. The goblins were quite smart since they had, at least, installed anti-house-elves wards in the vaults under Gringotts bank building, and they only let the house-elves to _apparate_ into their business hall, at least, to do the business in their lazy masters' place. It was also the sole reason why I hadn't gotten the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff in my hand yet. But, I already prepared a corresponding plan to deal with the Cup.

Since it would hinder their own house-elves' activities, many families and places that needed house-elves' service to function didn't put on an anti-house-elves ward. The old wizarding families also had the illusion that house-elves could only work for chores, not other things as other sentient living creature could do. It was a loophole I didn't feel ashamed to abuse for my own gain.

I shook my head, pushing aside the unnecessary thoughts from my head, and then called the two house-elves in question. They arrived with a soft popping sound, clad in the customized army camouflage attire. They did a clumsy military salute as they saw me.

"Dinky is here answering Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

"Potty is here answering Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

The house-elves reported to me, which I accepted by nodding my head to their direction. They dropped their salutes and then stared at me expectantly, waiting for a task to complete. It was just the house-elves nature. Just as human who were growing with indoctrination to be a proper human in the school or other environments that educate them, the younglings of house-elves aren't different. It was the content which was different. Instead of the common sense, human rights and whatnot, they were indoctrinated to be perfect slaves for magical family they served.

"Alright, Dinky and Potty, I need you two to do something for me." I regraded them silently, taking a mental note how their ears were flapping and their eyes were shining in excitement, and then continued: "First, tell me if you two can apparate to the underground room that's connected with the forbidden third floor, where the Mirror of Erised is located." At their positive nods, I continued my words. "Your task is this: I want you two to keep your eyes on that Mirror. Tell me immediately if someone, even Albus Dumbledore, is around the Mirror."

Dinky and Potty exchanged short glances and then nodded to me. At that, I told them to start their assignment without further ado. It was only me and Barmy who're left in the room. Then, I turned my sight to Barmy and then told him, "You may continue your assignment, Barmy."

The house-elf with the crooked beret nodded his head and then apparated back to our underground hideout.

After Barmy left, I sunk my body on the soft couch as I let my body and mind to earn a small break. My eyes roamed around the luxurious study I was in. To be honest, Room of Requirement is truly a convenient place. It can transform into any place I wished, with certain limitations of course. Nevertheless, it still helped me a lot since I started my life in this ancient castle. This time, I've asked for a luxurious yet comfortable study to finish up my monthly work.

For a moment, I did nothing. I watched the stacks of rolled up parchments on the desk before me. I finally forced my lazy bone to move when I realized I had wasted several minutes for nothing.

As I unrolled and then began to read another reports, I remembered a certain thing I needed to do soon. It was my meeting with Clara as the mysterious donator who had donated massive sums of money to the orphanage.

"Well, I can't just invite her for meeting. A smart girl like her will do a background check. It seems that I need to prepare dummy papers in non-magical side for my fake persona." I paused for a moment, before I smirked and then continued. "This is going to be fun."

— **»O«—**

It was the time when the curfews are closed, when the children would be tucked into their beds. It was also the time long past the dinner. Nevertheless, places like high class restaurants and the likes in the downtown were still showing bustling situation as suits the occasion with the company employees or adults who searched for small reprieve after a long, tiring day of work.

In one of such restaurants, the wooden building complemented with luxurious furniture, table, and chair that were similarly made from wood brought out a calm atmosphere. It was an expensive restaurant that was locally famous. And I was there in the company of a lovely woman who sat in front of me across the table.

The inside of the restaurant was spacious. Even the second floor was usable because the scarce customer. About a third of the restaurant starting from the entrance was used as atrium, so someone standing near the banister at the second floor could observe well the situation at the first floor. I and the lovely lady before me were sitting around the table near the banister at that second floor.

Today was the end of February when the winter ended and spring started. The air was still a bit chilly as the leftover from the winter. At least, the snow had stopped pouring down from the sky. But, I digressed, since my company for today dinner was sending me a curious look mixed with recognition, uncertainty and wariness.

Wearing a classy dress that accentuated her lovely figure with extravagant leather jacket with warm furs on the collar was Clara McKenna, the sole matron working in my orphanage. She was here because of my invitation as the mysterious donator who'd sent those mysterious donations for almost a year. To cut the story short, I didn't present myself as the eleven years me, I presented myself as a man in his late twenties. To be honest, some potions in magical side of this world were very convenient.

To enforce my existence in the non-magical side of this world, I had prepared many things beforehand, such as creating the secretive House Lustburg which is supposedly the special magical force directly under her Majesty the Queen's control as her trump card against the Ministry of Magic if they ever overstep their boundary; editing Her Majesty the Queen's memory to back up my illusory organization's existence; and many things I deemed as important.

Of course it wasn't as easy as I stated it to be. There were muggleborn wizards and witches worked under Her Majesty the Queen as her safeguard against the lurking danger of magical society, yet my trained House-elves black ops dealt them easily. There was no mortality in this assignment.

Overall, it had been a tiring month, but the fruit of labor paid the hassle justly. It was because of that I could only prepare my meeting with Clara now. And the reason why I could only set this meeting around 9PM was because the Hogwarts' curfews too.

"How's the meal, Miss McKenna. Did it complement your taste?" I inquired suddenly after I realized Clara's umpteenth gazes since this supper started.

The woman was startled by the sudden question, but she controlled her reaction quickly and then nodded her head to my direction. After that, she said, "It has been very pleasant, Mister Dalton. Anyway, may we begin the real reason behind this meeting?"

"Of course, Miss McKenna, shall we accompany our discussion with a glass of wine?"

Clara nodded her head silently. At that, I clapped my hand to call the waitress and then ordered a bottle of fine wine. The waitress told us to wait for a moment. After the wine came, the waitress skillfully poured the wine into two empty crystal wineglasses and presented them to us.

While waiting the waitress, I recalled my fake identity I'd prepared in the non-magical side. Dalton Lustburg, 28 years old, a bachelor, a member of special black ops under Her Majesty the Queen's direct control, a peerage with Marquise title and the owner of Wiltshire.

After the waitress finished serving us, I lightly sipped the wine, taking a mental note of its rich flavor. I didn't feel fear for the intoxicating effect of alcohol because I'm sure nothing will happen. Then, I faced Clara with straight gaze and said: "You may ask questions which have been plaguing your mind, my fine lady."

Clara put down her wineglass and then regarded my mature face silently. I could imagine the metaphorical cogs in her head spinning. Then, Clara asked her first question.

"There're many questions I want to ask, but the most important question I wish to ask now is . . . what is Asmodias Lustburg to you?"

I made a thoughtful face and then sipped my wine. "Ah, that young one," I finally answered Clara's question. "Well, I think he's my only living relative and my long lost nephew."

It was a lie I'd prepared.

"Do you have any plan to adopt him in the future?" Clara inquired again.

"How shall I spell it . . . well, both of us know how mature he is, a trait in our family if I must say so. But I digressed, for this isn't what we're talking about." I stared at Clara clear eyes calmly and asked her a question. "Do you think he will accept my over easily if I adopt him suddenly?"

Clara made pensive expression and then hesitantly shook her head. "He won't follow you," Clara said. She inhaled the cold air and then sighed deeply. "That boy has seen that place as his real home and everyone in that place as his family. It won't be easy for him to move out."

I nodded in satisfaction from her answer. I couldn't speak about it any better than her. It was just how Clara explained. The sentiment I held for the orphanage was thick as family. I even dared to say it was thicker than the sentiment between family members. The orphanage had helped me a lot in the past ten years and without that orphanage, the today me wouldn't exist.

"You're correct." I nodded my head. "I've done my research about him and doing what I have been doing seems to be the good move for now. I can pay his study, disguised as scholarship since he's quite a brilliant child, in the future too."

"So, you have prepared everything. It gives me a peace of mind knowing a brilliant boy such as Dias will have promising future. His talent will be wasted if he can't enroll into good university just because the lack of fund." Clara sighed in relief.

"Agreed, my lady." I nodded my head at her statement. "Anyhow, do you have other question for me?"

Surprisingly, Clara shook her head. "Most of my questions have been answered just by knowing your identity sir," Carla started. "I am also not a noisy woman who'll step out my boundary and demand an answer from you. Just from this place alone, I understand your background isn't simple. It's enough to put my mind in peace."

Then, Clara rose from her seat and did a courtesy, bowing her body slightly, and then formally thanked me.

"As the representative of Saint George's House in Harrogate, Yorkshire, I thank you, Sir Dalton Lustburg, for your kindness and support to our orphanage."

"Your gratitude is note, Miss McKenna. You may put your mind in ease," I accepted her formal thanks and told her to return back to her meal.

After that, we chatted about ourselves, and of course, everything I spoke about Dalton's background was load of bullshite. We chatted and drank the wine and chatted even more and drank even more. Before we knew it, it was already 11 PM, the time for ending this meeting. Since it was very late, I decided to take Clara back into the orphanage with the car I rented for today.

— **»O«—**

After several weeks had passed since my meeting with Clara, the last year examination got closer. In the meantime, I had basically thrown myself into the metaphorical meat grinder to keep myself busy, I also kept my ears on the many rumors circulating in the Hogwarts rumor mill, ranging from a rumor about a certain groundskeeper and his Norwegian Ridgeback, how the Weasley twin have seen _a_ Cerberus in the forbidden room in the third floor, how Slytherin is going to win the Quidditch school tournament this year, how Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell are having a falling out, etcetera.

Some of the rumors did a very good job to remind me how different this world from the series I knew of. Because a single change, namely Holly's gender, many things had proceeded to unexpected direction. For example; how Holly didn't show any strong interest in finding out the mysterious thing hidden in the forbidden room in the third floor; how she kept Hagrid outside of her comfort zone, though she acted amicably around the half-giant; how she didn't join the Quidditch team and play for our house; how she ignored Hagrid attempt to take her interest on the Philosopher Stone per Albus Dumbledore's scheme and plots; and how she hadn't done what her male counterpart had done in the series I knew and was fond of.

There were ups and downs, brought by the simple different gander of single person. Some ups were quite favorably for me and some were not. Still, I did my best to get a semblance of control amidst the cacophony of chaos in these several weeks.

I was standing in the middle of a spacious workshop with only the finished project before my eyes and the rune engraving kits. There was nothing else in this room. I had requested the Room of Requirement to provide me with simple workshop to finish my latest and most important project.

Before me was a 1x1 meter square slab of Obsidian stone with 5 centimeters thickness. At the first glance, it just looked like the Power Plant I'd created to supply my House-elves with magic energy, but there were some differences. Other than the obvious difference in the size and the material, the rune scheme I'd engraved on the Obsidian's smooth surface was less complex than the one I'd engraved on the _Power Plant_ altar. Furthermore, the precious smooth orb was embedded in the middle of the slab of obsidian.

I checked the small altar for the umpteenth times. After I was sure nothing is wrong with it, I checked it with my _Observation_ skill.

 **Name: Unnamed Altar  
Rank: Uncommon  
Durability: 100/100  
Details: An altar created by Asmodias Lustburg with the sole use to contain malevolent wraith.**

"I shall call this artefact as Spirit-Sealing Altar," I declared.

The name of the artefact changed from _Unnamed Altar_ into _Spirit-Sealing Altar_. After that, I stored the finished altar inside my _Inventory_. I became silent after that, there was nothing I need to do. What left for me was to wait for the last year examination to finish.

Suddenly, I remembered about Albus Dumbledore and his scheme. I wasn't sure what the old man is going to do since Holly isn't going to blindly follow what he has planned. This is going to bet tricky, but I am sure nothing bad will happen. "Well, I can only prepare for the worst. At least, I have more than eighty percent chance to make this success. Let's pray for the best outcome," I spoke to myself, before I requested a shortcut to return back to Ravenclaw Tower.

—

 _ **Footnote:  
**_ _ **The chapter was fixed at March 28th,2018**_


	10. Potterverse — Hogwarts 1st Year (09-End)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

—

In years to come, I shall never quite remember how I had managed to get through my exams when I wasn't even focusing on the parchment given to me by the Professors. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that the Cerberus the oaf Hagrid in his skewed mind called Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door in the third forbidden floor, guarding the trapdoor to the secret room where the Philosopher Stone was being hidden by Albus Dumbledore.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where we did out written papers. We had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an 'Anti-Cheating' spell. We had practical exams as well.

Professor Flitwick called us one by one into his class to see if we could make a pineapple do tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox is, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made us all nervous, breathing down our necks while we try to remember how to make a _Forgetfulness_ potion. Fortunately, I didn't meet any problem, not even once.

Our very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented 'Selfstirring Cauldrons' and we'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until our exam results come out.

When the ghost of Professor Binns told us to put down our quills and roll up our parchment, I was swept away by the mood and couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Su as we joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Now, you just sounded like Granger, Su," Padma chimed in from her place beside Su.

As the architype Ravenclaw, Su liked to go through her exam papers afterward, something Holly and Padma also shared. However, we still needed a moment to refresh our minds, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree after I prepared a picnic sheet for the ladies. I kept to myself so far, letting the ladies have their own discussion in peace. We saw the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

It was when the attentive Su and Padma realized that Holly was rubbing her forehead, where her scar was.

"Is your scar fine, Holly?" inquired Su.

"I wish I knew what this means!" she burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," I suggested flippantly from my position on the floor, the sheet protecting my robe from the dirt on the ground.

"I'm not ill," said Holly, throwing a mutinous glare to me. Yet, I could feel it didn't hold the same amount of venoms it had in early in the year. "I think it's a warning . . . it means danger's coming . . . or something like that. . . ."

"Holly, dear, relax," Su tried to soothe Holly's irritation. "Dias was right you know, it isn't wrong to check your scar to Madam Pomfrey. That scar has been on your forehead for a decade, has it not? And I'm sure no normal scar can last that long."

Holly nodded her head begrudgingly but she couldn't hide her irritation because of her itching scar.

I sent a discreet glance in the Girl-Who-Lived's direction. My laid back attitude was only a mask to hide the perpetual nervousness and anxiety for what I knew would happen soon. Although I had more than 80% assurance that my plan would go smoothly, it didn't mean I've become complacent and arrogant enough to think nothing could go wrong.

As Murphy law stated, anything that can go wrong will go wrong!

"It has been a year, hasn't it?" said Padma suddenly, taking our attention for our respective mind. To our inquisitive looks, Padma elaborated, "It has been a year and everything went so fast. Before we realize it, our first year almost ends."

Both Su and Holly became thoughtful after they listened to Padma's deep words. I didn't know what inside their mind for my mind was focusing on the task which would commence soon.

So far, my preparations had finished smoothly. I'd tasked other house-elves besides Dinky and Potty to stay alert in the secret room. They were currently hidden under their own brand of mystery as they were watching the Mirror of Erised.

Speaking of the secret room under the forbidden third floor, I also had tasked the house-elves to take a real-time video recording with an artefact I'd created, and so far, they had recorded the trials.

I wasn't surprised when I found out the trials were similar with the ones in the series, meaning that the first trial was the Cerberus guarding the trapdoor; the second trial was the devil snare; the third trial was the charmed keys; the fourth trial was the oversized wizarding chess; the fifth trial was bypassing a room with two trolls; the sixth trial was the logic puzzle and Severus Snape's potions; finally, the last trial was the Mirror of Erised itself, where the Philosopher Stone was hidden in by the meddlesome old codger named Albus Dumbledore.

Ultimately, house-elves could come in and out the last room freely since Hogwarts never put on _anti-house-elves_ wards for there were a hundred of house-elves work in the castle. If there were such things like _anti-house-elves_ wards ever installed, it would hinder the activity in Hogwarts castle because house-elves did almost all the chores, such as cleaning the castle, cooking feast for the students and the professors, etcetera.

Of course, I could easily ask my house-elves to get the Philosopher Stone from the Mirror of Erised any time after Albus Dumbledore hid the Magnum Opus of the famous Nicholas Flamel in that mirror. Surprisingly, the Stone couldn't be taken out by someone who desired to give the stone to Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, meaning the house-elves could take it out for me. However, I held back my urge.

That stone was the bait to lure Lord Voldemort and Quirinus Quirrell. If I'd ever taken the stone early Quirrellmort would find it out and flee from Hogwarts as soon as possible. In the end, I could only take the Stone after I cleaned Quirrellmort problem first.

"Dias? Earth to Dias!"

Padma's call snapped me from my reveries. I turned my sight to her and sent an inquisitive look. Su, Padma, and Holly were giving me bemusement looks. Somehow, their looks lightly offended me. Fortunately, my 'Gamer's Mind' skill helped me to maintain my poker-face.

"What?" I probed an answer from them.

Padma and Su exchanged a gaze, a form of silent communication they somehow have mastered behind my back. I didn't understand how they did it or perhaps, I wasn't good at reading others. Meanwhile, Holly had shifted her sight away from us, she staring at the calm surface of the Black Lake, ignoring everything around her as she keeps everything to herself. Just like the usual. . .

Padma returned her sight on me and said, "We have called you for a while, but you seem to be in deep thought. What's in your mind?"

I regard the Indian witch for a moment and then respond to her inquiry.

"Nothing," I said. I paused for a moment to contemplate my next words, "Just thinking what I'm going to do this summer."

Su and Padma seemed to be interested about it. If Holly was included in the list, she did a very good job concealing it.

Goaded by the girls' reproachful gazes, with only Holly as an exception as she was keeping her sight to the magnificent scenery before her, I decided to share what's in my mind.

"To be honest, I don't know what I'm going to do in this summer. Hence, I was thinking about it before you all disturbed me," I said with light exasperation mixed in my tone.

"Sorry," Padma and Su apologized.

I dismissed their apologies.

After that, we continue our meaningless chat to unwind the tension from the exam. Surprisingly, Holly had joined in the middle of our talk.

Overall, it was a relatively calm day before the storm. In fact, I quite appreciate it.

— **»O«—**

It was when the moonlights were peeking through the gaps between the clouds in the sky, when the curfews had been closed. It was also the time for me to start my move.

I was sitting in a black leather couch, stuffed with quality cottons, as my body sunk in comfortably. Before me was a desk, which the surface was left bare from anything except for a semitransparent crystal ball used for occultism above a circular Celestite plate with 2cm thickness and 30cm diameter. On the surface of the Celestite plate was a complicated rune scheme.

This small curious trinket was something I'd made together with the 'Spirit-Sealing Altar'. I had named this artefact 'Closed-Connection Crystal Orb', or CCCO for short. The detailed information was like this:

 **Name: The Closed-Connection Crystal Orb** **  
** **Rank: Unique (Magical)** **  
** **Durability: 250/250** **  
** **Details: An artefact crafted by Asmodias Lustburg to be used together with CCS — Closed-Connection Satellite — to display the real-time video caught by CCS. It's basically a magical version of the set of Wireless CCTV.**

I had planned to enchant simple wireless CCTV in the past, but I found out the wireless signal and magic ambience in the air have deep hatred to each other that makes the signal is screwed by magic energy in the air. Thus, I created this thing in the end.

Such a shame I could only create a set with only two-ways connection between the CCCO and one CCS. I didn't have time to develop this thing into something that can display the recording taken by more than one CCS, though I have filed the idea for later, when I have more free time and less worry. For now, I need to be satisfied with this.

Shown in the orb was the secret room where the Mirror of Erised was being stored. The image seemed to have been taken from one of a few corners in the room. I had tasked Dinky to wear a yellow contractor helm where the attached lamp has been replaced by the CCS.

There were four house-elves in the room, hiding under their own brand of invisibility mystery. If it's a normal wizard without the support of maximum level 'Presence Detection' skill like me, it was impossible to feel their presence. This was one of many reasons why I took the house-elves under my wings and transformed them into elite black ops. For house-elves, hiding themselves was like their second nature.

Suddenly, the crystal orb showed the image of someone entering the room. I immediately realized who it was. His turban alone was the dead giveaway to his identity. The one who had entered the room was Quirinus Quirrell or as I eloquently put it; Quirrellmort. He presented himself differently from how he presented himself in the class so far. Gone was the stuttering coward and a dangerous wizard had taken the coward's place.

I watched raptly as Quirrellmort walks closer to the enchanted Mirror. Then, the man stood still in front of the mirror with a pair of dazed eyes. It seems that the mirror's disgusting effect had shown something Quirrellmort's heart desired the most.

I continued to watch as my cute, little minions sprang into action, bar Dinky who was standing still to give me the clear, real-time video.

I watched in a tense silence as Chunky, another new member of my ever growing house-elves organization, and Potty shot darts with a quick acting paralyzing substance from their dart guns. To give me higher guarantee that Quirrellmort will be knocked out cold, another new member of my H.E.B.O. named Jerky appeared next to Quirrellmort with a taser gun in his hand and shocked the vessel of Lord Voldemort wraith.

There was a raspy loud shout from the back of Quirrell's head. I was sure it was Lord Voldemort himself. Alas, Quirrell's reaction was too slow. Quirrell screamed out in surprise before he dropped down on the floor, unconscious. It was the time for the crucial part of this mission and my time to enter the field finally came.

"Barmy!" I called the beret-wearing house-elf.

He appeared next to me and took me to the hidden room. The moment I arrived inside the hidden room, I saw Quirrell's body was spasming and dark miasma was coming out from the back of his head. I realized that Lord Voldemort attempted to undo his possession on Quirrell and ran away with his tail between his legs. There's snowball chance in hell I'll let him to flee easily.

I take out the 'Spirit-Sealing Altar' from my 'Inventory', put it on the floor and began sealing process. First thing first, I activated the altar. The runes and the Jasper orb in the middle of the obsidian plate glowed with mystical lights and then it began to absorb the dark miasma that came out from Quirrell's body.

I saw the haunting visage of Lord Voldemort's disfigured face and heard its incoherent shriek full of resentment. The moment the sealing process finished, the center of the jasper orb darkened with an unholy light. It seems that a murky, dark fog was trapped inside the jasper orb, swirling and twisting disgustingly as it tried to escape its prison.

I didn't lower my guard as I watched the altar warily. The house-elves around me were also watching the altar with more apparent wariness. Two minutes later, the mysterious light dimmed slightly but not entirely disappears from the rune scheme. It told me that the sealing process finally succeeded.

I felt elated but my 'Gamer's Mind' helped me controlling my excitement. I knew that I wasn't safe yet. Even though Albus Dumbledore had left the castle, I didn't know where he'd be back.

When I tried to store the altar inside my 'Inventory', I found out that I couldn't do it.

I realized the wraith sealed inside the altar was the reason behind this phenomenon. Then, I told Dinky who had been doing nothing but standing in the corner while being invisible to take the altar to our secret hideout. The house-elf followed my command obediently and took the altar very carefully. A moment later, he disappeared via house-elves' 'apparation', leaving me and the remaining house-elves behind.

I immediately beckoned to Barmy to do his part.

I'd debriefed him with his main purpose for this mission. He did his part smoothly; surprisingly enough he took the Philosopher Stone easily without being affected by the Mirror of Erised's disgusting ability.

I accept the stone when Barmy offers it to me. Then, I use my 'Observation' skill to check its authenticity.

 **Philosopher Stone  
Rank: Legend  
Durability: ****524** **/** **1000** **  
Details: the magnum opus of the famous alchemist, Nicholas Flamel, it can produce Elixir of youth and transmutate a simple lead into a pure gold. With each usage, the durability will decrease. To recover its durability, a soul is needed.**

I was not really surprised by the information. So, even the almighty stone still needed fuel and said fuel was actually human soul, eh? That was very morbid but I couldn't deny its usefulness. I understood there's impossible to permanently transmute a lead into a pure gold or producing Elixir that makes one's life longer without a price.

The basic of alchemy is equivalent exchange after all. Unlike the wide spread witchcraft and wizardry, Alchemy is considered as an esoteric branch of magic and no small amount of wizards and witches deemed it as dark.

But, I digress, for I have more pressing matter.

After storing the Stone inside my 'Inventory', I turned my body and looked at the remaining house-elves which have stood together in a line, waiting for my next order. I couldn't help musing in my mind; what obedient little tykes they were.

"Now, my cute, little minions," I pointed my index finger to the mirror, mirroring the Phoenix Wright stance in a full throttle, "Go wild!"

The remaining house-elves; Barmy, Potty, Chunky and Jerky look at each other silently for a moment and then they grinned toothily. Assortments of blunt weapons appeared in their hand, ranging from a screwdriver, a metal bat, a bent metal pipe, and . . . is that a frying pan? Huh, I'm sure that I have seen that frying pan from somewhere . . . wait! The scratch on that side, that thing is from my orphanage's kitchen!

"Potty?"

My word stopped the house-elf in question before he could advance to the Mirror of Erised. He turned his head in my direction and looked at me inquisitively. I continued where I stopped, "Pray tell me why you stole a frying pan from my orphanage's kitchen?"

Potty showed a deer-in-highlight expression as if he had been caught stealing cookies whilst his hand was still in the cookie jar.

"Master Lusty-Bug sir, please forgive Potty! Potty will punish himself badly! Potty is a bad house-elf! A bad—"

I stopped the crazy house-elf before he could smash his own face with the frying pan.

I've stopped him not because I don't want to see him harmed. I've stopped him because I don't want for the frying pan to be dirtied by his blood.

Clara liked that frying pan so much and therefore that old frying pan was still in the orphanage's kitchen, being used sometimes. Furthermore, my beautiful matron had cooked and would cook homey meals with that utensil. I didn't want to know it had been defiled by Potty's body fluid as I eat Clara's meal in the future, thank you very much.

"Stop it! You can let your leader to punish your folly later. Now, get something else and help your brother to turn that disgusting mirror into a wreck!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

Potty saluted before he summoned a pitchfork from somewhere. He turned his body to his brothers and finds they were sending reprimanding glances to him. The house-elf sulked as he dragged his body to the mirror. Soon, the house-elves started bashing their makeshift blunt weapon into the enchanted mirror.

I stood aside and watched my cute little minions doing their best to turn the mirror into unrecognizable wrecks. Instead of the like a submissive house-elves they are, they looked more like malevolent imps in a sugar high. To be honest, that image is quite disturbing.

After that, I told them to disperse and take me out from this place. Just like that, I finished my main objective for this year; apprehending Lord Voldemort's wraith and stealing the Philosopher Stone under the old codger's nose.

— **»O«—**

I made my way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. I've been held up by checking out the 'Spirit-Sealing Altar' that confined Lord Voldemort's wraith. I only stopped what I've done after I felt one hundred percent sure the trapped wraith won't be able to escape from its cage, so the Great Hall was already full when I arrive.

The Great Hall was decked out in the Ravenclaw colors of blue and bronze to celebrate Ravenclaw's winning the House Cup after Slytherin's hogging the House Cup for six long years in a row. A huge banner showing the Ravenclaw raven covers the wall behind the High Table. I slipped into a seat between Padma and Terry Boots at the Ravenclaw table. Headmaster Dumbledore arrived moments later. Then, the babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully.

Surprisingly, he didn't show that he was actually troubled after finding out Quirinus Quirrell's corpse and the shattered Mirror of Erised. The old codger was very good at hiding his real feeling.

"And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were . . . you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts. . . ." Albus Dumbledore paused, sweeping his sight on the students filling the Great Hall.

Then, he continued where he had stopped earlier. "Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two and Ravenclaw has five hundred and eleven."

A storm of cheering and stamping break out from the Ravenclaw table. Even Holly who was usually showing unflappable, disinterested expression had a small, smug smile on her cute face. The tension in the house of smarts and wits was very high. It seems that I was the only one who found the ruckus around me quite annoying.

"Yes, yes, well done, Ravenclaw," said Dumbledore, calming the high-tensioned Ravenclaws.

I moved my sight to the professor seat.

At the elevated chairs for the professors, Snape was shaking Professor Flitwick's hand, with a thin, forced smile on his face.

Time passed, I had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. I was not surprised when I had the best grades of the first years, followed closely by, surprisingly enough, Holly and Padma. After them were Su, Hermione Granger, Daphne Greengrass and Lyra Malfoy. There were also dangerously low score that _almost_ made those children being held back in first years. Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was a brute-looking, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. And the most surprising was Ronald Weasley who only one point away from being held back a year.

And suddenly, our wardrobes were empty, our trunks were packed; notes were handed out to all students, warning us not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take us down to the fleet of boats that would sail across the lake; we were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating magical confectioneries as we sped past non-magical towns; pulling off our wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross station.

It took quite a while for us all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting us go through the gate in twos and threes so we didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the non-magical folks.

"If you have a chance, you must come and stay this summer," said Su, "All of you — I'll send you an owl, or something inconspicuous to muggles."

"Thanks," said Holly, "I'll need something to look forward to."

People jostled us as we moved forward toward the gateway back to the non-magical side of this world. Some of them call:

"Bye, Holly!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," said Parvati, grinning at her as she stands shoulder-to-shoulder next to her elder twin sister. Holly snorted in an unladylike manner at that.

As the ladies have their small chat, as usual, I was content as their shadow who watched their closeness.

I, Holly, Su and Patil twin passed through the gateway together.

A moment later, we saw two pairs of a married couple, getting closer to our position. I had seen them before when I left the castle for the Yule Break and the Boxing Day. However, It was the first time for Holly.

The Asian man in his mid-thirties, wearing smooth ironed quality pastel shirt, a pair of black pants and a pair of polished dark brown leather shoes, is Mr. Li while the beautiful Caucasian woman with brown hair and a pair of warm eyes, wearing white blouse, black gray skirts, semitransparent dark leggings and high-heeled black shoes, is Mrs. Li. They were Su's parents.

Walking closely to the Li couple is an Indian man and an Indian woman. The man was slightly older than Mr. Li. He wears a gray tuxedo and a pair of polished black shoes. Walking besides him is woman in her late twenties who is wearing Indian sari with red and blue color harmoniously blending together. They were Mr. and Mrs. Patil, the Patil twin's parents.

Mrs. Li smiled down at us. "Busy year, dears?" she said.

"Very," said Holy calmly. "Thanks for the cake and the winter coat, Mrs. Li. And thanks for the handy warming charms, Mrs. Patil. They were really useful."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear," said Mrs. Patil with beautiful smile on her face.

"Ready, are you?"

An unpleasant voice interjected the pleasant conversation between us.

It was Vernon Dursley, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Holly, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Petunia Dursley and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Holly.

"You must be Holly's family!" said Mrs. Li, trying to be amiable.

I and everyone else were keeping our eyes on the overweighed man.

"In a manner of speaking," said Vernon curtly. "Hurry up, girl, we haven't got all day."

He walked away without waiting the Girl-Who-Lived.

Holly hung back for a last word, more to Su than me.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Su, looking uncertainly after Vernon, being shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Holly with a clipped tone and they were surprised at the small vindictive grin that was spreading over her face.

" _They_ don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer. . . ."

I was amused at the soft controversial whisper Holly had given Su.

Thanks to my sharp hearing sense, I could catch it when the others couldn't. I needn't worry for Holly's safety this summer because I'd given Wonky an assignment to watch Holly.

The only problem would happen in Holly's summer holiday was likely because of Dobby. Speaking of that bonker of a house-elf, I wasn't sure what I should do to him.

I decided to put aside that thought since it was the time for me to return back home.

After Holly left, I declined the Li and Patil family to take me back home. Then, I went to an inconspicuous, empty alley near the King Cross's station and called one of my cute, little minions.

A moment later, with a soft popping sound, I disappeared from the alley and appeared in my underground hideout.

I had a hunch that this summer was going to be a busy summer.

—

 _ **Footnote:**_ **  
** _ **The chapter was fixed on Match 28th, 2018**_


	11. Potterverse — Summer 1992 Part I

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

With a jolt, a short creature with a thin body, the wrinkled skin, big head, long, pointed nose, a pair of bulbous eyes and a pair of wide flappy ears jumped down from its small bed. The creature was known as the house-elf and its name was Barmy. Although the name itself sounded very poor, degrading even, Barmy held the name his most glorious master gave him with honor.

Standing in the middle of the very small room with only a small bed and a smaller than a child-sized set of military camouflage uniform and dark brown beret hanging on the smooth stone wall, Barmy flicked his finger. With a soft popping sound, the set of customized army uniform and the beret disappeared from their place and reappear back on the house-elf's body at once.

The sight of a house-elf wearing a set of uniform was peculiar and almost unheard of for giving a house-elf a cloth was supposedly a symbol of firing off the house-elf in question. However, this house-elf, as well as its brethren that had sworn to serve their magnificently outstanding master, was a rather special case.

The gesture of giving the cloth would terminate the master-servant contract between a house-elf and its master when the cloth was given directly to the house-elf. It was an entirely different matter when the master ordered the house-elves to present themselves with an attire of any kind.

Finished his preparation, Barmy felt he has presented himself well. The beret-wearing house-elf went to the secret briefing room via house-elf's brand of 'apparation'. He appeared in the second briefing room which his most glorious master didn't know of. He saw his brothers and sisters clad in their own uniform were standing in an orderly fashion.

Barmy inspected his brothers and sisters who queued up splendidly and nodded his head in satisfaction. He was ready for his usual morning greeting and extra indoctrination which his master didn't order or even know of. "My brothers and sisters!" started Barmy as he swept his sight on his brethren, "Another day has come for us to serve our most glorious Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

"Master Lusty-Bug sir is the most glorious!"

Barmy nodded his head faintly in acknowledgement mixed with satisfaction after it heard its mate, Wonky, incited the devotion, adoration and worship in the hearts of other house-elves with her cheer.

"Long life Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

"Long life Master Lusty-Bug sir!"

Cheers echoed in the secret meeting room, to Barmy further joy. Barmy raised his right hand beside his face to stop the fervent cheers. As much as it pains Barmy to stop the well-earned adoration to his most glorious master, Barmy realized that he needed to stop his brothers and sisters, or nothing will go further from here.

"Those who have the honour being assigned by our most glorious master can start their assignment," exclaimed Barmy.

Seven house-elves disappeared from his view, leaving only seventeen house-elves. Barmy swept its eyes on them.

"Since you don't have personal assignments from our most glorious master, Barmy shall give you your assignments! Listen well!" Barmy started, "Beastly, Horny, Cocky, Corny, Petty, you are going to raid the bad muggles like usual! Liberate bad muggle's money and muggle-wands. Don't forget their amputations too!"

"Barmy Sir!"

One house-elf raised his hand.

"You are Cocky, no? What is it?"

"It is not 'amputation' sir! It is 'ammunition', sir! You are wrong house-elf, Cocky as a good house-elf needs to correct you!"

Barmy blinked his eyes, dumbfounded. The next moment, he snarled savagely at the house-elf who dared to question the authority he was bestowed by his most glorious master. It 'apparated' before Cocky and slapped the cocky house-elf silly.

"Barmy never asked for Cocky being too cocky! Never question Barmy! Just shut up and follow orders like a good house-elf! Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

Cocky replied from his position on the ground; he held its swelling cheek from Barmy's strong slap.

The dictatorial, beret-wearing house-elf returned back to his previous position and then swept his sight on the other house-elves. "Do you all have something to say to Barmy?"

After Barmy saw that the other house-elves shook their head quickly the oppressive leader of the House-Elves Black Ops continued his job to give the assignment to jobless house-elves.

"Becky, Ditzy, Dizzy, Dopy, Floppy, you are going to build _very_ deep underground hideout again! Remember, deeper is better!" Barmy paused and then turned his sight to the remaining twelve house-elves, "Bratty, Dandy, Flunky, Funky, Pinky, Plucky, Pulpy, Thorny, Picky, Poppy, Vinny, Zomby," it called the long list of name as he looked on each possessor of said names, "You are going to find good stone like our most glorious master used to make that magic thingy in the room seven! You must engrave the rune to look like it too! Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Now, go!"

The remaining house-elves disappeared with a soft popping sound, leaving Barmy alone in the secret briefing room.

After the remaining house-elves went out to finish their respective assignments, Barmy swaggered to the small desk with piles of rolled up parchments. He sat down on the chair and began his job to check the monthly reports written by his brethren. He read through the 'beautiful' handwriting of his brethren quickly that can even astound its master if he ever saw it.

For the time being, Barmy nodded his head as he checked the written report. They're really good house-elves. Its brethren knew how to write a fabulous report. They never forget to fill, at least, 80% of their reports with ardent praises for their most glorious master.

Barmy didn't know that the procedure he has created was actually a bother to his master. Since said master never remonstrated or even banned them to continue what they were doing so far, Barmy had a wrong misconception that his master liked the excessive worship and praises written in the reports.

"They are good house-elves," Barmy murmured as it continued its activity, reading the whole content of the reports wholeheartedly. "Barmy is proud, very proud to lead them all."

In less than five minutes, the appointed leader of House-Elves Black Ops finished his assignment. He had checked all reports and found himself satisfied by what he had read.

"Now, what is Barmy going to do?"

Since he had finished his morning assignment, Barmy was at lost. Idleness was something the house-elves abhorred to their core.

An idea appeared in Barmy's skewed head. He flicked his fingers, creating a soft 'pop' sound, and summoned a copy of the _Sun Zhu Art of War_ he had liberated from one of the muggle's bookstores in the past. The leader of H.E.B.O. opened the copy and read through the content. He nodded his head as he leafed through the pages.

As a good house-elf that has been given a task to lead his brethren by his most glorious master, Barmy wanted to give his glorious master something more. He has realized that the current H.E.B.O. is too small. He had a plan to expand the small organization of trained and lethal house-elves into a kingdom full of head-reaping, trigger-happy house-elves that could take over the world easily.

Everything was for Barmy's most glorious master Lusty-Bug sir!

And speaking of the aforementioned master, he was oblivious to his crazy house-elves' plan.

—

It could be said that summer 1992 was my busiest summer yet.

At the day, I would help Clara to maintain order in the orphanage. Other than that, I had also registered myself as an alumnus of a prominent elementary school in Scotland.

Inserting my files into the database was very easy. I had also modified the memory of all related to my supposedly fake elementary school graduation year, from students to teachers. I couldn't let a small mistake to be left behind after all.

Meanwhile, at the night, I would travel around the world to hunt magical creature or monster for their experience points. I couldn't stop my grinding even if it was supposedly a summer holiday.

After all, there was no holiday in Gamer's dictionary.

At the moment, I was in one of my night incursions. I was in Romania country to hunt Romanian vampire or Romanian werewolves. I've asked one of my house-elves to take me to this country via their awesome 'apparition'.

After mind-raping some non-magical folks in the rural area that was close with the Romania's most prominent vampire covens, I immediately went to the forest that was believed as the forbidden area by the aboriginal folks. There were many cases of death in that forest, and the cause was always same; the victim's blood was drained. It was clear who, or what, caused the death.

Speaking of the magical skill I used to get this information, it was the 'Legilimency'. I had learned that skill in my spare time in Hogwarts. I supposed that my calm and unshakable mind helped me a lot in mastering this very useful skill.

For the skill's detail, it went like this:

 **Legilimency (Active/Passive) Level: 7 (100%) – the act of magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting the findings.** **  
** **Effect(s):** **  
** **\- Passive: Passively scan the surface thought from eye contact with the target.** **  
** **\- Active: Breaching inside the mind of the target brutally to glean information.**

I didn't need to activate the skill to find what I was searching in this place. I only asked a question and my passive 'Legilimency' would pick up what they were thinking. Consequently, I was here now.

It was already past midnight. The soft moonlight was streaming down the land through the gaps between the clouds.

I could hear the haunting howl of wolves. My hunch told me that the howls belonged to werewolves. Normal wolves' howls wouldn't be this haunting.

After strolling aimlessly through the thick forest — I was not entirely sure how long it was — my 'Presence Detection' finally picked up something on the edge of its range. I blinked my eyes when my skill alerted me about more than five dozens presences.

I moved to the spot; I didn't forget to activate my 'Presence Concealment' skill, cover my smell, block the sound of my movement and restrain any excess of 'Willpower' with 'Magic Control' skill, and then arrive in the site of the conflict.

Watching the conflict below from my position on a strong branch of a tall tree I saw two vampires and from their appearance they were quite important figures. The two vampires were being cornered by five dozens of other vampires. The surrounded vampires were an aged gentleman and a lovely young lady respectively.

I couldn't help guessing how this is a flag for a ridiculous event before I dismissed any unnecessary thought from my mind. Then, I checked the two cornered vampires below with my 'Observation' skill.

 **Vlad Tepes** **  
** **\- Race: True Ancestor** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- Health: ?** **  
** **\- Willpower: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue the observation!** **  
** **\- Details: the first generation vampire who has been turned into a vampire because a curse put on him by his enemy at the end of the war against the invaders. Although he has washed his hand from his authority as the king of Romania, he still watches over his country behind the shadow. Don't make him into your enemy as of now; he's very, very dangerous fellow!**

As I expected, this seems to be a flag for an amazing event. I never think that I will meet a historical figure in my second life. Then, my eyesight moves to the girl behind the legendary Vlad Tepes.

 **Mina Tepes** **  
** **\- Race: Vampire Ancestor** **  
** **\- Level: 18** **  
** **\- Health: 920** **  
** **\- Willpower: 290** **  
Statistic Attribute:  
** **[Strength: 92] [Agility: 73] [Mind: 35] [Magic: 29]** **  
** **\- details: the seventh vampire princess of Tepes Council. A legal loli, alert! Go! Conquer her, O champion of the lolicon!**

Putting aside the cheekiness of my skill . . . _"A vampire princess, huh?"_ I mused in my head.

I scrutinized the young vampire hiding behind the legendary Vlad the Impaler himself.

The aforementioned vampire princess had the appearance of a delicate young lady with a deathly pale skin, a doll-like face, a pair of crimson eyed with vertical slit pupils and a long, lustrous pale blond hair that's tied into two side tails. She seemed to be in her pubescent. However, I couldn't guess her real age.

For her attire, she wore a white blouse under a reddish brown leather jacket with a precious ruby embedded on jewellery that fastened her blouse's collar, short skirts that stopped just above her knees, a pair of dark leggings under her skirts and a pair of low-heeled leather shoes that protected her feet.

The small fangs jutting out in the corners of her cherry blossom coloured lips made her way cuter in my eyes.

I'd be lying if I said that I was not amazed by the young vampire's cuteness, or I supposed beauty in this case, but it was just that — amazement.

I never saw someone could be so delicate and beautiful like her. Truly, she was someone worthy to be called princess.

Speaking of the former King of Romania, he had the appearance of a gentleman in his forties with a wavy and long grey hair, a handsome face with a trimmed goatee and a pair of blood red eyes with vertical slit black pupils. His attire consisted of a noble's attire; white shirts, black coat, a cravat, a pair of pants and a pair of black leather shoes. He looks dandy as he was a handsome fellow.

I checked a vampire who seems to be the leader of the group encircling Vlad Tepes and his daughter with my Observation skill.

 **Marius Cainblood** **  
** **\- Race: Vampire Ancestor** **  
** **\- Level: ?** **  
** **\- Health: ?** **  
** **\- Willpower: ?** **  
** **Your level is insufficient to continue the observation!** **  
** **\- Details: the vampire ancestor who is the Commander of Elite Warrior of Cainblood Vampire Coven.**

The other vampires behind Marius were low-levelled since I could see their detailed statistics. The lowest level was 15 while the highest was one level below mine, at 35. Other than Marius, they were all wearing a hooded cloak that covered their body and upper face.

" _Is this a dispute between faction for territory or repaying old grievances?"_ I guessed in my head.

I recalled the information about the vampires that joined Lord Voldemort's faction in the previous war. Lord Voldemort didn't have vampire followers from the big faction in his ranks and the vampires that joined him for fun or other reason were mostly rogues.

At that moment, I heard Vlad Tepes speaking to Marius.

"I can guess how you can set this ambush for me and my dear daughter, but I intend to hear it from your own mouth, Lapdog of Cainblood," Vlad Tepes started. He was using Romanian and I was glad that I've learned many languages in Europe before, "Who has betrayed me?"

Marius laughed disgustingly and then said, "Do you really want to know the answer, you old fossil?"

Vlad Tepes said nothing, knowing it was rhetoric on Marius' part.

Marius clicked his tongue, producing a loud 'Tch' and then said, "It was your son," The vampire of Cainblood smirked wickedly to Vlad. "To know your own flesh and blood is behind your demise, how is it? Are you angry, old fossil? Do you want to tear his body apart, even though he is your own blood and flesh?"

Vlad Tepes still said nothing.

Marius wiped his smirk and put on an emotionless mask, making his deathly pale, handsome face to look like it was made carved from ivory with two ruby jewels plugged in his school as his eye sockets.

"You needn't worry about your traitorous spawn, Vlad Tepes. He and your kin shall follow you two to the oblivion," said Marius with a flat tone.

The banter finally came to an end.

With a hand sign from Marius, the five dozens of hooded vampire sprang into actions.

"Mina, don't ever you dare to distance yourself from me if you want to live through this farce," said Vlad Tepes. He swept his right hand in the empty air before him.

Vlad's strong momentum and explosive power have created a shockwave that threw several vampires closing into his position.

I was shocked when I saw that. I could guess that Vlad Tepes' 'Strength' attribute was likely very high if he could create a shockwave with a smile swing of his hand. I become more interested and pay more attention to the fight between True Ancestor and Cainblood army. This was a rare experience that I could only dream of in my previous life.

Mina, the Vampire Princess, follows her adoptive father's order, hiding closely behind Vlad's broad back. Her face stayed expressionless but her ruby red eyes are glimmering with anxiety.

The fight reminded me of the vampire brawl in New Moon — the last extension of Twilight saga. The vampires glide in the air with a simple jump as though they are flying. Limbs and bodies were torn by Vlad, but no blood was scattering in the air. It was a surreal view.

As the war progresses, I found Vlad Tepes is being pushed back by the hordes of Cainblood vampires. And finally, after Marius joined the fray, Vlad is thrown back by Marius' blow, leaving the scared and rooted to the spot Mina alone in the middle of dangerous enemies.

"Mina!"

Vlad Tepes' calm countenance crumbles as he sees the mortal danger around his latest adoptive daughter. He tries to step in to protect his daughter, but the Cainblood vampires block his path.

A prompt appears before my eyes.

 **Special Event Quest Alert!** **  
** **Become the Ally of the Darkness** **  
** **\- Save Mina Tepes and Help Vlad Tepes to kill all Cainblood vampires!** **  
** **\- Success Rewards: 5000Exp, ?, ?** **  
** **\- Failure Penalty: Potential Death, ?** **  
** **Do you accept the quest? (Declining the quest won't give you any adverse effect whatsoever) (Yes/No)**

" _No rest for the wicked, no?"_ I complained mentally as I accepted the quest.

I took out my new staff from my Inventory and 'apparated' to the empty space between Mina Tepes and Marius Cainblood.

The staff I have taken out from my Inventory is something that I have received today. It is a custom made a staff. I ordered it from an old druid in Icelandic.

How did I know about the druid in question? To answer that question, my answer is simple: my house-elves. I have tasked my house-elves to establish a spy network across the world, or at least in America, Africa, Europe and Middle-East.

The staff itself was very expensive. A normal wand in Ollivanders only cost 7 Galleons. Yet, the wand cost me 77 Galleons.

At least, the staff's specific was better. It can be used as a melee weapon too. For its detailed information, it's like this:

 **Name: 1.5m Cherrywood and Dragon Heartstrings Staff** **  
** **Rank: Unique** **  
** **Durability: 500/500** **  
** **Details: 1.5m long staff made of Cherrywood and has seven heartstrings of Chinese Fireball as the core. This item reduces spell cost by 95% and amplifies the spell effect by three times.**

My sudden appearance took everyone off kilter. I didn't waste my chance and I coated my staff with Magic, which was shaped like a sharp edge with my 'Magic Control' skill. I then swung it at Marius' neck.

The Elite Commander of Cainblood Vampire Faction tried to jump back. Unfortunately for him, I have extended my Magic Blade. My Magic coated staff sliced his neck cleanly. His head was separated from his body and floating for a moment in the air. Without missing a beat, I cast 'Incendio' Charm to burn Marius' body and head into ash.

 **You have killed Marius Cainblood (LVL?)** **  
** **Gained 2000Exp**

 **Levelled up to level 37** **  
** **Gained 1 point for all Statistic Attributes and 5 free attribute points** **  
** **Your HP, MP and negative status effects have been healed**

There was a lull of confusion and disbelief before the silence is shattered by a soft gasp from behind me.

"Ah. . .?"

I turned my head around and caught the sight of Mina Tepes up close. I stared at her dazedly for a split second because she was prettier up close. Immediately afterwards, I returned back to the reality as my 'Presence Detection' alerted me of the Cainblood vampires' movements.

They tried to flee.

There was a snowball chance in hell I let them flee. It would become a future problem if one slipped out and informed the higher-ups of the Cainblood Vampire Faction about my involvement in the dispute between these two vampire covens.

Without missing a beat, I took a square plate of precious stone with amplification magical property, with 2cm thickness and 30cm length. A complicated rune scheme was engraved on its smooth surface. I activated the rune scheme function and magic circle spread out from the plate.

The glowing magic array was wide with fifty-meter diameter. The moment the translucent mysterious array spread wide, everyone froze on the spot.

The square plate was one of the artefacts that I've produced in my rare free time. It functioned as a wide AoE (Area of Effect) paralyzing spell. Unfortunately, this plate was only one-time use artefact and I could see its durability kept lowering down as I stimulated its ability. The total durability of this plate was 150 points and it decreased by 1 point each second, meaning I only had one minute and thirty seconds to finish the remaining three dozens of vampires.

I didn't waste my chance. I went all out by continuously casting 'Incendio' charms toward Cainblood's vampires.

 **Killed Lowee Cainblood LVL15** **  
** **Gained 15Exp**

 **Killed Cathie Cainblood LVL18** **  
** **Gained 18Exp**

 **Killed Wulfrick Cainblood LVL20** **  
** **Gained 20Exp**

 **Killed Vann Cainblood LVL20** **  
** **Gained 20Exp**

 **Killed Crowley Cainblood LVL21** **  
** **Gained 21Exp**

The notices keep appearing until all kills are reported. Unfortunately, the total experience points from mass-murdering the vampires are less than 2000 points. It isn't comparable to the exp gained from killing Marius Cainblood.

 **Cleared A Special Event Quest!** **  
** **Became the Ally of the Darkness!** **  
** **Rewards: 5000Exp, Chance to be Ally of Tepes Vampire Coven, Unlock Vampire Princess' Route**

I blink my eyes as I feel stumped for a second, right before regain my calmness and then dismiss the prompt before my eyes.

The magic array gradually disappears and the remaining two vampires, Vlad Tepes and Mina Tepes, regain their mobilities once again. Surprisingly, the vampire princess doesn't move away as soon as the paralyzing debuff comes undone. Her ruby red eyes are scrutinizing me in curiosity.

"Young wizard, you have my gratitude for your assistance in our time of need."

I blink my eyes in a slight surprise as I hear Vlad Tepes' voice next to me. I turn my sight to him and then find the True Ancestor has stood next to me. I was surprised because my Sense Presence couldn't catch his movement. I chalk it as my low AGI that can't keep up with his insanely fast movement.

Since my Sense Danger doesn't alert me of any incoming danger from the legendary vampire, I decide to take a leap of faith and then reply Vlad Tepes' words politely.

"But of course, it was my honour to assist a legendary figure like you, my lord."

"From your word, it seems that you know me, young wizard. But of course, this may seem intrusive, but pray tell me why a young wizard such as you roaming in vampire covens' territory?"

"I just want to have a night stroll," I said without missing a beat, my face still calm as the surface of still water.

Vlad Tepes cocks his grey brows in bemusement, a reaction his adoptive daughter also mirroring.

"Really, now?" Vlad Tepes sounded sceptics. It was reasonable because how young I seem. But, Vlad Tepes doesn't seem to be bothered by it. "Just forget about it. Anyhow, may you accept my invitation to my castle for a formal thank you for your assistance?"

I regard the True Ancestor before me silently. A lull of silence engulfs us for a moment. I break it by accepting his invitation with a curt, "Yes, and thank you, my lord."

So far, I didn't feel any danger from my choice. My Sense Danger doesn't alert me to any mortal danger and I have a hunch the Special Event is still on the way.

I also feel curious what the True Ancestor will do to his traitorous son who has sold his own father to the enemy.

I follow the True Ancestor to his castle that's hidden from muggle. We have small chat along the way. We also finally introduce ourselves informally because of the TPO. However, I'm sure the formal introduction will happen after we entered in the Tepes Vampire Coven's castle.

After strolling for almost two hours, we arrived in the castle.

The castle is grand and majestic, not unlike Hogwarts castle, albeit it has the haunting presence on the contrary to Hogwarts welcoming and homey feel.

Along the way, Mina Tepes kept sending me a curious glance. I couldn't help wondering if she's the type of easy heroine. I hope she's not. Although she's a top quality beauty, I don't have any intention to start a romance in my second life this soon. Perhaps, when I am in my third, or fourth year in Hogwarts. But, not now. I'm still young.

Vlad Tepes showed how decisive leader he is by going directly to his traitorous son. However, the vampire in question seems have run away the moment Vlad Tepes' return was spread in the castle. As I expected, the special event hasn't finished yet and it's still ongoing.

When the True Ancestor was dealing his problem, Mina became my guide, as well as a warning to other vampires that I'm not their meal. Being honest with myself, the hungry gazes those vampires directed to me is very unnerving. At least, the hungry gaze from the female vampire can be taken in different context even though it wasn't true.

Soon, Vlad Tepes has finished his business and called me and Mina to the dining room. I didn't show my surprise when I saw the edible meal for human presented on the table.

After I sat across the long table, while Mina sat on the chair at the left side of the main chair, where Vlad Tepes has sat down, the True Ancestor speaks.

"You must be curious about the feast, no?"

I can see his mirth in his blood red eyes. I nod my head to agree with his deduction.

"You're not the first wizard who has visited my castle. I also have wizards, even muggle, connection. Tepes coven isn't different from other vampire's covens in their viewpoint about the livings, but we don't wantonly slaughter and drink their blood. I understand how far the muggle has been progressing. They have even created something so dangerous like a nuclear bomb I'm their madness and foolishness. But, of course, it's just my ramblings. Anyhow, shall we introduce ourselves formally as the place is suited for the formal setting?"

"But, of course, my lord. My name is Asmodias Lustburg, a muggle-born wizard hailed from United Kingdom Britain, a second years student of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry in the next September, as you have known from our earlier conversation," I introduced myself politely.

Vlad Tepes nodded his head gracefully, his eyes twinkling not unlike Dumbledore when he heard my name. I'll be lying if I say I'm not curious about his reaction to my name. It's not the first time someone has shown such reaction to my surname. It makes me very curious. Is there something more about my name that I don't know of? I file this information in my mind for further research after my business in this place is finished.

"You have known me, I'm Vlad of Tepes Coven and the leader of Tepes Coven," he gestured to his left, where his adopted daughter sat gracefully like a prim and proper noble lady, "And this is my latest adopted daughter, Mina of Tepes Coven."

The female vampire in question sends a demure nod to my direction. I return her gesture with mine.

"Now, shall we begin the feast? I'm sure you're famished from exerting yourself earlier," said Vlad.

I just nod my head silently. I can't say that I don't need a meal because my bullshit power for it will earn the wrong attention from others.

The menu on the table is Romanian cuisine, consists of Ciorbă — the traditional Romanian sour soup as well as its variants such as Ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup, soured with sour cream), Ciorbă de perişoare (meatball soup), Ciorbă de fasole cu afumătură (bean and smoked meat soup), Ciorbă de legume (vegetable soup), Ciorbă de peşte (fish soup prepared in the style of the Danube Delta) and many others; Caltaboș or chișcǎ — a cooked sausage made from minced pork organs and rice, stuffed in a pig's casing; Cârnați — a garlicky sausage; Chiftele — a type of large meatball covered with breadcrumbs or a flour crust; Drob de miel — a lamb haggis made from minced organs wrapped in acaul and roasted like a meatloaf; Frigărui — Romanian-style shish-kebab; Limbă cu măsline — cow tongue with olives; Mititei — grilled minced meat rolls and its side by side dish Grătar — grilled pork/beef with an eggplant, potato, and meat as condiments; Papricaș —;Chicken paprikash; and many others.

The white cloth covered surface of the long buffets style table which is more than 5m long is packed with different menus.

I'm not surprised when Vlad and Mina don't touch any cuisine on the table. They were enjoying a wineglass which is filled with viscous, red liquid — blood. The container for the blood is surprisingly a wine bottle. Of course, there're also assortments of wine bottle presented.

I'm not sure they are aware if I'm still a minor, but it seems they lack current society's common senses. I decide to say nothing and enjoy the meal.

It's true that I don't need a meal because of my gamer ability, and the contrast is also applied. It means that I can eat as many as I want. The more I gorge myself in the food, the more pleasant Vlad's expression is. By eating all food presented, I'm respecting him as the host.

Meanwhile, Mina watches me eat with amazed eyes. Since she has only been turned not long ago, over several years, it means she still can remember a bit of human common sense. It seems that she's amazed by how much I can eat.

For the time being, we; mostly I and Vlad, have a small chat. I'm not surprised when he told me he and some of his dependents are the executives in Romanian's Red Cross organization. I also found out that there are other human living in the castle, mostly house-servants and cooks. Then, our conversation took a turn to the dispute between Cainblood coven and Tepes coven. It seems that Cainblood is invading the Tepes' territory which consists of the whole Romania.

"Pardon my rudeness, my lord, but, the Cain you mentioned earlier as the leader of the Cainblood vampire coven is the Cain in the bible?" I said incredulously.

"You're correct, my young wizard friend," said Vlad, he nods his head in the meantime.

I have realized this world is more profound than the lacklustre information I got from Harry Potter series, either the books or the movies, but I never expect it to be this deep. I groan in annoyance, right before I mutter faintly, "What's next? Gods also exist?"

"No," said Vlad, answering my rhetoric, "At least, not anymore."

I am curious at that. I inquire about that topic to the True Ancestor.

"When I was still human and the legitimate ruler of this land, I believe the gods existed at that time," Vlad started, "I know it because the invaders, both Crusaders and Ottoman Empire, were empowered by their faith to their God. Their empowered state wasn't because of magic. In fact, they deemed magic is a heresy. They called it blessings and miracles of the God. However, these blessings and miracles had declined as the technology progressed and human lost their faith in their gods. I believe gods have abandoned the whole humanity as they continue to pursue the path of self-destruction, or because the faith couldn't support them anymore. I'm unsure from which they became absent, but the miracles and blessings have become nonexistent at the middle ninety century. But, of course, it was my assumption. Perhaps they still exist, perhaps not. Who knows?"

We continued our conversation and Vlad seems to enjoy regaling his experience. He is like a walking history book and I'm sure Granger will have both orgasm and irritation from the unedited version of mostly European history. The true history is contradicting the written history the current generation knows of. Then again, history is written by a winner, no? The loser becomes villain while the winner becomes the hero. It's a fact and a part of the ugliness of mankind.

It was when the dawn almost graced the world when we ended our amiable conversation and I excused myself because there's going to cause a ruckus if everyone in orphanage realized I'm not there, that Vlad Tepes did his part as Special Quest provider NPC.

"My young wizard friend, are you interested to join me and my breather in pushing back the invasion from Cainblood vampire coven? You have shown your capability when you assisted me and my dear daughter. That interesting trick you used to paralyze everyone will be a boon to us. You seem to be different from the majority of your kin. I can see your desire to fight and kill you deem strong. What do you think, young Lustburg? Of course, there will be just compensations for your assistance."

 **Special Even Quest Alert!** **  
****Provide your assistance to Tepes Council** **  
** **\- Prepare 100 sets of Paralyzing Rune Plates, Defense Rune Plates and Conflagration Rune Plates** **  
** **\- Prepare 100 enchanted weapons** **  
** **\- Kill minimum 5 Cainblood Vampire Ancestors and 50 Vampire Dependents** **  
** **Complete Reward(s): 10,000Exp, ?, ?, ?, ?** **  
****Failure Penalty: Your Potential Death, ?** **  
****Do you accept the quest? (Declining the quest will lock this special event permanently!) (Yes/No)**

I didn't waste my time and choice Yes. Then, I said to the True Ancestor, "It's my honour to be in service, my lord."

And just like that, my remaining two weeks holiday turned into something eventful.

* * *

 _Author's Humble Note:_

 _Early at the morning, guys. . . Sorry for the late update. With this, The Summer 1992 side arc begins for earnest! This filler won't be long, only around 3~4 chapters. I hope you can enjoy this filler :D_


	12. Potterverse — Summer 1992 Part II

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

In the smallest bedroom, Number 4 Privet Drive, Holly was lying on her bed while staring ahead the ceiling with a blank gaze. Lately, she did that a lot.

Ever since Holly had come home for the summer holidays, her relatives had been treating her like a plague that might infect them at any moment, because Holly Potter wasn't a normal girl. As a matter of fact, she was as not normal as it is possible to be.

Holly Potter was a witch — a witch fresh from her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have her back for the holidays, it was nothing to how Holly felt.

She missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. She missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, her classes (with surprisingly Potions and Charm as her most favorite class), the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in her four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, spending her time with her friends, Padma Patil and Su Li, and, especially, and confusingly, a blue-eyed, blond-haired enigmatic boy known as Asmodias Lustburg.

All Holly's spellbooks, her wand, robes, new clothes, cauldron, was settled in her new small wardrobe bewitched with larger space inside in her room. At first, they had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by her Uncle Vernon Dursley the instant Holly had come home. What was it to the Dursleys if Holly went back to school without any of her homework done? The Dursleys were what witches called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a witch in the family was a matter of deepest shame. Uncle Vernon Dursley had even padlocked Holly's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world, at first.

Holly looked nothing like the rest of the family. Uncle Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous black moustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Holly, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet black hair that was always untidy. On her forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar.

It was this scar that made Holly so particularly unusual, even for a witch. This scar was the only hint of Holly's very mysterious past, of the reason she had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.

At the age of one year old, Holly had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Holly's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Holly had escaped with her lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood why — Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Holly.

So Holly had been brought up by her dead mother's sister and her husband. She had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why she kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that she had got her scar in the car crash that had killed her parents.

And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Holly, and the whole story had come out. Holly had taken up her place at which school, where she and her scar were famous . . . but now the school year was over, and she was back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smell, or so she thought at first.

Her summer so far didn't go as she expected it to be, and the reason was the little creature known as house-elf that protected her in the shadow. It was a surprise when she found out about the little creature helped her after she was locked inside her cage by her Uncle Vernon. The little elusive creature had put a ward around her room so any magical phenomenon around her wand wouldn't be traced back to the Improper Use of Magic Office in Ministry of Magic, or so the house-elf spoke. It had unlocked Hedwig's cage and took back all her possessions from the cupboard under the stairs. Furthermore, the house-elf had threatened the Dursleys from giving Holly any chore.

After the threat from the house-elf, reinforced by the demonstration of house-elf magic on them, the Dursleys had given her wide breathe and what she supposed to be the best summer of her life.

She understood whose house-elf Wonky was, for she had borrowed the house-elf service in her first year in Hogwarts to buy something from the Diagon Alley or the Hogsmeade Village. To know it was the Lustburg all along, her unknown emotion for the boy just became worse. She was curious how the boy owned house-elves — yes, elves, not elf — since the only family of wizards and witches could own one.

She didn't understand why she felt unknown yet pleasant feeling knowing the enigmatic boy took care of her. The unknown emotion she felt whenever she thought of the enigmatic boy was likened to butterfly, or snitch, fluttering its wings inside her stomach. It was strange, yet it wasn't bad.

When Holly thought her summer couldn't be any better, her expectation was dashed again when her birthday happened. Holly was very happy when she found the gifts from her best friends, but her mood soured when she didn't find any from Asmodias Lustburg. The sudden change in her mood baffled her, but she couldn't help herself. Everything related to the Lustburg was complicated for Holly Potter, or so the girl made it be. She had been holding her grudge over the lack of gift from Asmodias Lustburg in her birthday, brooding and in bad moods for days. And unbeknownst to her, the aforementioned boy was actually enjoying himself in the war between two vampire factions in faraway Romania.

" _You stinky boy! I won't talk to you when I meet you later!"_ Holly grumbled petulantly in her mind, right before she drifted to the dreamland. It had been a tiring yet pleasant holiday for her. As she fell asleep, she was oblivious to what happened on the lawn of Number 4 Privet Drive.

— **»O«—**

Wonky, the proud house-elf of her utmost magnificent Master Lusty-Bug Sir, was a house-elf in a mission. She had been given the honourable post as the Girl Who Lived's bodyguard by her utmost magnificent master. She was really happy because of the assignment it got.

The Girl Who Lived, Holly Potter, was the hero for house-elf. The house-elf knew that the bad, meany and evil dark wizard Lord Voldemort was really a bad dark wizard. All house-elves were afraid of that foul wizard. So, when the news of the vile wizard's death spread in European magical community, not only wizards and witches cheered because of the passing dark time. Even the house-elves cheered joyfully.

Furthermore, Wonky had misunderstood her utmost magnificent master's intention. The house-elf mistook her utmost magnificent master's well intention to the Girl Who Lived as his way to protect his future bride. All House-elves in H.E.B.O. had unofficially agreed that someone famous like the Girl Who Lived was the best future mate for their utmost magnificent master.

Holly Potter will become the Queen of the world, standing beside their utmost most magnificent master after the House-Elves Black Ops conquered the world.

And because of that, Wonky was _very_ angry when an unknown house-elf trying to block Holly Potter's owl-mail from her friend and planned something bad to Holly Potter.

Locking the unknown house-elf under her body, Wonky did a beautiful wrestling move. It was only natural for H.E.B.O. members to know several muggle martial arts. And the unknown house-elf had tried something bad to Wonky's future mistress

"Now . . . Give up! You is a bad house-elf who tries to harm Wonky's future mistress!" said Wonky with a demonical snarl on her face. She exerted more force on her lock to give more pain to the unknown house-elf, "Wonky won't let something bad happen to future mistress Holly Pottery ma'am!"

"Noooo! Dobby won't give up!" the formerly unknown house-elf now known as Dobby said hoarsely, "Holly Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Holly Potter, to warn her, even if she does have to shut his ears in the oven door later. . . . Holly Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

"And why's that?" said Wonky without loosening her grip on Dobby.

"If Holly Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Wonky in surprise without letting her lock loose.

"There is a plot. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," chocked Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months. Holly Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important!"

"What terrible things?" said Wonky at once with a grave tone, "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby chocked his voice. He couldn't say that because it would betray the family he served. Knowing that Wonky lost her — already in the limit — patience. With scarily efficient and masterful movement, she twisted Dobby's head, killing the house-elf in the process. After that, Wonky kicked Dobby's body brutally across the lawn. Wonky was pissed.

She just heard bad news for her utmost magnificent master and her future mistress.

"Peepy!" Wonky called one of her subordinate.

Another house-elf appeared in the lawn and gave the military salute to Wonky. It was a female house-elf. "Yes, ma'am! What Wonky ma'am needs from Peepy?"

"Bring that dead son of a bitch to the forensic chamber in the Alpha Base and told Baldy and Pricky to find out who was this bastard's master before the master-servant connection disappeared!" said Wonky as she pointed at the Dobby's corpse under the rosebushes.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Peepy returned back to the aforementioned Alpha base, taking Dobby's corpse with her. The lawn turned silent once again. Wonky made a pensive face as she stared ahead blankly.

Someone had attempted something very terrible to her utmost magnificent master and her future mistress. She needed to find out who it was ASAP.

Wonky stared at the window of her future mistress' room silently. She contemplated what she should do next. Her utmost magnificent master was busy conquering the vampire in Romania. She couldn't distract her utmost magnificent master in the middle of his glorious conquest.

"Wonky needs to deal with this problem without distracting Master Lusty-Bug sir! Wonky needs to tell what happened to Wonky's dearest mate!"

Wonky nodded her head after she came to conclusions. Then, the house-elf disappeared with a soft 'Crack' sound, returning back to the hideout under the orphanage in the Yorkshire.

It was official that House Malfoy's days were numbered.

— **»O«—**

There is no absolute law that the weak cannot beat the strong.

With a well-made plan and a placed trap, or maybe traps, the weak can slay even the strong.

It hadn't been documented only once or twice. The story about hero triumphing over the more powerful enemy and against the impossible odds is quite popular after all.

Human is a weak creature. But, they have a fully functional brain that can think rationally and use guile. It can be said that human greatest weapon is their mind.

A week had passed since the Tepes Council has declared an all-out war against the invaders from Cainblood Vampire Faction. Preparation has been made. It is almost finished.

With the help of my cute, hardworking minions, I have completed the one hundred armaments to arm the top fighter of Tepes Council. I only spent 4 hours to create the rune scheme for the enchantment, and the rune engraving process was left to my hardworking minions. 5 days were spent for the weapon production. It was really fast. Even the most arrogant Vampire Ancestors in Tepes Council, mostly the Princes, and Princesses before Mina acknowledged that fact.

It wasn't the first time I feel how blessed I'm to have 50 House-elves swore their allegiance to me. They are truly a god sent.

Bloodedge — the name of the enchanted weapon I created for the Tepes Council. 100 pieces total.

I have created 25 two-handed double-edged swords, 25 Spears, 25 Battle Axes and 25 Rapiers. These weapons have self-repairing and sharpening enchantment by drinking the blood of the user. Furthermore, these weapons are bonded to the owner after the first time the weapons drank their users' blood. With this, the Tepes Council didn't need to fear their enemies will take their weapons to empower themselves.

I had an idea to create this weapon from a Japanese cartoon — anime, if I recall the name correctly — about the war between vampires and mankind in the apocalyptic setting, with the experiment to control the angels who blow the trumpets in the day of judgment thrown in. To be honest, I have forgotten the title of that anime, but I digressed.

The scout whom Tepes Council had sent had returned back to the castle yesterday with very important information about the enemy. It seems the first and legitimate son of Vlad Tepes has joined Cainblood Vampire Faction.

Many vampires were outraged by that fact. In fact, I'm sure that I would piss on the spot when I saw the rage in Vlad Tepes' face at that time. Fortunately, my 'Gamer's Mind' helped me to maintain my calm.

Another precarious news the scout brought back was the fact that Cainblood Vampire Faction was already on the way to encircle the vicinity of the heart of the Tepes Council's territory. Furthermore, they brought five times of the total number of the Tepes Council's fighters.

It could be said that the situation on this side was very dire, if not for the fact that Vlad Tepes was the master of defensive warfare. In the history recorded and preserved until today, Vlad Tepes had shown how he successfully defended his homeland from many invasions, with the invasion of Ottoman Empire as the worst case.

The Vampires Ancestors and the dependents had their faith in their lord. Their loyalty to Vlad was something worth my envy.

To be honest, I have known about this information sooner than the council. I've tasked one of my cute, sneaky minions with spying ability like none other to keep a tab on Cainblood Vampire Faction's movement.

I needn't worry about the massive scale invasion because if everything went south, I could call my house-elves to take me away from this place. However, my aim was to crush one of the six strongest vampire factions in this world.

From my nightly visit to Tepes castle, my knowledge about the world of vampires became more profound. I know there are other five vampire factions equal to Tepes Council. The Cainblood Vampire Faction is obviously one of them. The other four are Coventry of Mircalla, or also known as Carmilla, in Austria, Bathory's Sabbatical Party in Slovakia, Bloodfeast Organization in Asia and American-African Vampire Union somewhere in the America continent.

"Mister Dias, may I come in?"

The soft, melodious yet clear voice from outside dragged my mind back to the earth. I turned my sight to the heavy wooden door and then raised my body from my sitting position on a plush leather sofa. I got to the door, crossing the spacious guest room where I was staying whenever I visited Tepes Council's castle, and then opened the door.

Speaking of the guest room I used in the meantime, it was a big and lavish room with polished marble floor and stone walls and ceiling. An extravagant chandelier was hung above my head. The bed was a king-sized four-posters type with a desk next to it. A massive wardrobe was standing near the wall across the bed, a tall mirror standing next to it. There was a table for the tea party and four chairs around it; they were made of expensive Blackwood.

After I opened the door, I saw an exquisite young girl, who looks like in her fourteen with pale blond hair tied into two side tails and a face that won't be a mistake to be called as doll-like, standing outside of my room.

"Princess Mina, do you need something?" I questioned politely. I immediately realized how ungentlemanly my conduct was as I leave one of Tepes' Princesses standing in the corridor like that. I immediately invited her to step into my room, "My goodness! Where's my manner? Please come in, Princess Mina. Please come in!"

The corners of her cherry blossom coloured lips curled up slightly, almost unnoticeably, as I invited her inside. She did a quick graceful bow, her hands which were gripping her frilly black long skirt rising slightly as she does a proper courtesy before she followed me closely inside.

Speaking of Mina Tepes, our relationship could be said to be amicable. I didn't know if it's because I've helped her and her adoptive father in their dire moment, or because she hasn't been long since she's turned into a vampire, that she didn't show the unreasonable arrogance most vampires possessed.

In the seven nights I visited this castle, the youngest Tepes Council's Vampire Ancestors would accompany me. We have had some small conversation to know each other, but of course, I didn't harbour any wish for her interest to me growing interested in passing time. I could confidently say that we are more of a friend than an acquaintance as of now.

After Mina settled in one chair around the tea table in the guest room, I called one of my house-elves, "Kinky!"

"What does Master Lusty-Bug sir need Kinky for?" the female house-elf inquired excitedly after it appeared beside my chair with a silent popping sound. Its big, round, bulbous eyes are sparkling gleefully, expressing her emotion.

Like other house-elves swore to be my servants, this one also wears military camouflage uniform, customized to fit its small size.

"Can you take one of the special types of blood from the stasis cellars in our hideout? And please, prepare the proper wine glass too," I ordered Kinky calmly.

"Sir, yes sir!" Kinky saluted and then flicked its finger. A bottle of blood red liquid in it and beautifully made wineglass appeared on the table.

"Mister Dias, you needn't waste your effort to entertain me. You have been doing enough so far. We have become close now, and I don't think it's proper for someone with a close relationship with us to act too formal and reserved toward each other, no?"

"Well, usually I would agree with your sound argument, but let this stubborn and foolish young wizard to entertain you, princess," I replied her words politely while pouring the blood into the wine glass.

I just got this stuff this afternoon after I dispatched some of my combat inclined house-elves to abduct some of the _Imperiused_ Death Eaters and drain their blood dry. I'm sure it will cause a ruckus tomorrow, but I have confidence that it's impossible for Department of Magical Law and Enforcement — D.M.L.E. — to crack the case of some mid-ranked and low-ranked Death Eaters' disappearance.

"Try it. I'm sure you will like it," I said as I offered the wineglass, filled with a wizard's blood to brim, toward the youngest Vampire Ancestor.

Mina nodded her head faintly and then accepted the wineglass. She took a little sip. Then, her blood red eyes opened wide in surprise. "Oh my, this . . ." she started unsurely, "I never savoured such a delicious body fluid like this. Whose body fluid is this?"

"A wizard's blood, princess. It's supposedly well known in vampire community that wizard's blood tasted better in vampire's taste buds because their blood contains magic," I explained, shrugging my shoulder easily.

"This is my first time . . ." Mina murmured softly, oh so alluringly, as she relished in the delicious wizard's blood.

I held back my urge to let out a tired sigh from her easily misunderstood speech. I shook my head and then inquired her reason behind her sudden visit, "So, what's your business with me, princess?"

Mina focused her sight on me before she said: "Am I a bother to you, Mister Dias? Do you still see me as a stranger after the nights we spent together?"

Inwardly, I smiled helplessly at her. I could sense her despondency veiled behind her soft tone. And the way she worded her speech was very dangerous if people who didn't know Mina heard that.

"Actually, I wasn't busy. You can visit me whenever you want."

"Then, please treat me well tonight too, Mister Dias," she said with a faint, beautiful smile on her pale, doll-like face.

Although she meant nothing, she worded it suggestively, again.

I have found out that Mina was actually a real-live airhead vampire. I never believed myself that I would meet the archetype seductive airhead who's supposedly only existed in anime.

As I have found out, Mina had a penchant to speak out something very suggestive without meaning it. If I was a normal person without support from my almighty Gamer's Mind, I was sure that I had become a blubbering mess every time we talked. Furthermore, her words could easily create misunderstanding.

Thankfully, the lord of the castle knew about it and he found it amusing. If Vlad Tepes was oblivious to Mina's tendency and heard these easily misunderstood words, I was sure that he would try his hardest to impale me like his namesake.

If that ever happens, I was very sure that I would die. The straight bout against the legendary vampire with level and statistics above me is basically tantamount to committing a suicide. I had a confidence that I can take him down if I have a surprise factor, or well-prepared plan beforehand. But, being attacked suddenly would catch me off guard and I wouldn't be different from a helpless lamb.

The reason I could erase Marius Cainblood a week ago was that I'd taken him off kilter. It needs to be noted that the perished vampire still evaded my attack in an almost nonexistent time span. It was because of the mana blade coating on and extending a few feet from my staff that his neck was severed. If I was underprepared at that time, my only chance to kill him would disappear and it would end with me in a deadly situation that could kill me easily.

Just like in the troll event last year, I've shown how correct circumstances could make the weak win against the strong. The troll was a stronger physically than me and its skin was quite resistant to charms or curses. The reason why I won was that I'd used my mind and a luck that the troll brought its strong and very durable club.

It made me realize why witchcraft and wizardry had become the stereotype and widespread magic. They were easy to cast, very convenient and less troublesome than the older type of magic. It only needed wand movements and unintelligible incantation to create an absurd phenomenon.

"So, will you entertain me tonight yet again, Mister Dias?"

Mina's voice returned my mind to the present. Please don't misunderstand her suggestive speech!

The next moment, my 'Danger Detection' skill screamed at me a second earlier before the red coloured rapier's thin blade stabbed the empty space where my head a moment ago. I stared at her and found a small pout on her lips as she missed her mark again.

I playfully smiled at her and said: "You need to do better than that, Princess."

"It's weird. Every time I tried to attack you when your guard is down, you could dodge it, as if something is telling you beforehand. Please tell me Mister Dias, do you have precognition ability?" said Mina.

I shrugged my shoulder calmly and took my iron staff which covered with runes — for training only! — and pointed the blunt tip to the youngest Vampire Ancestor before me.

"The rules are like usual. No destroying the furniture, no dismemberment, only a stab," I said as I moved away to the wide space in the middle of the room.

Mina followed silently.

We stood silently three meters away from the other in a Mexican standoff.

Then, we dashed to each other with intent to win.

Oh, I forgot to mention it. But, each night since I have become a guest in the castle, we would have a nightly spar in my guest room. And so far, I have shown her how skill full I used my long hard staff to push her down . . . Now, that I think about it. It could be misunderstood too.

* * *

 _Author's Humble Note:_

 _Well, guys, the favorite finally reached 600 while the follower almost reached 800. You all have my thanks. For a newbie's story, this number is_ _ **STAGGERING!**_ _For some questions you wrote in the reviews, such as the Time Turner, you will find out about it in the future chapter. Actually, it's not hard to understand, you see, just read the content between the lines and there's nothing here, wait until it appears in the future chapter._

 _For the whole vampire lore or whatnot, it is original I spin from the well-known story, myth, or legend to extend this universe. Nuff said!_

 _I have quiz for you! Can you guess the anime that inspired me for the weapon given to Tepes by Dias?_

 _See you again in the next issue :D_


	13. Potterverse — Summer 1992 Part: Last

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

It was midnight when the soft rays of full moon illuminate the land when the biting cold of Romanian's nighttime reached its peak. It was also when the Tepes Council and Cainblood Vampire Faction were going to meet on the battlefield for an all-out war.

Or it was how it should have supposedly been.

I was standing next to the Vlad Tepes himself, who was sitting in his majestic throne, on the elevated podium; I was staring at the hundreds of vampires, consisted of the six Vampire Ancestors, a hundred of Vampire Nobles and a thousand of Lesser Vampires. My position showed my status as someone who had earned the respect of the King of Wallachia himself and the common rabbles below couldn't show their dissatisfaction for a mere mortal like me to stand above them, not without incurring the wrath of the King of the Tepes Council himself.

Not all vampires in the Tepes Council accepted me, though surprisingly the Vampire Ancestors and the Vampire Nobles had grudgingly accepted my value after I distributed the Bloodedges and the Runic Plates to them. They still looked down on me because I'm a mortal. At least, the King of Tepes Faction and the Seventh Princess had accepted my presence in their rank.

Many people would underestimate me because of my physical age and my status as the muggle-born fresh out of his first year in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but Vlad and Mina Tepes knew better than looking down on me. They understood that my physical appearance couldn't be used to measure my true capability.

Although I was far weaker than the older Vampire Ancestors in this room, my physical and magical prowess was high enough to topple the later half of Vampire Ancestors and hundreds of others vampires in the room. Furthermore, I was Vlad's respected guest for I have saved him when he was ambushed and supplied them with something precious in their eyes, which would become the icon of Tepes Council in the foreseeable future.

My eyes were sweeping the vampires under the podium. The front row was filled with the Vampire Ancestors, from the 2nd Prince to the 7th Princess Mina Tepes, clad in a pompous attire befitting their royal status under the quality dark coat with a hood pulled down. I could see my finest creations were either sheathed around their waits or strapped on their backs.

Each Vampire Ancestor was armed to the teeth with one of the four types of the Bloodedges and five sets of Runic Plates, which was consisted of Defensive Runic Plate, Paralyzing Runic Plate, and Conflagration Runic Plate in a charmed (to have bigger space inside) leather bag hanging on their waists.

On the other hand, the hundred Vampire Nobles were armed with the leftover Bloodedges and a set of Runic Plates. The Lesser Vampires were armed with simple melee weapons.

The distribution of quality weapons showed how vampires took their hierarchy system very seriously. It was something I couldn't understand.

My musing was cut short no later than Vlad stood up from his majestic throne. The King of Tepes Council swept his sight on his people for a moment before he began his pre-battle speech.

"My dear children and my loyal people," started Vlad Tepes imposingly, "Tonight, we shall show to those revolting invaders that this land is ours, that the Tepes isn't weak! We shall show them the true meaning of the fear and engrave the name of Tepes in their blackened souls!"

There were no cheers but I could see the blood-red eyes of the vampires below the elevated stand were glinting viciously. Their blood red eyes were glimmering with bloodlust that only a beast could possess. The vicious aura exploded from the thousands of vampires and they didn't even try to restrain their desire for bloodshed.

Before the True Ancestor of the Tepes Council ordered his people to jump on the battlefield, I stepped forwards, taking the True Ancestor's attention. When his curious blood red eyes landed on me, I took it as the cue to tell him my own preparation to make this war short.

I didn't harbour any plan to join a long battle. There was only a week left until the first of September.

"My lord," I started with a polite tone, "Before you send your people to the battlefield, I want to inform you about something that I am sure will make you delighted."

"And pray tell me what's it, my young wizard friend?" said Vlad, pinning his curious blood red eyes on me.

The thousand of sets of blood red eyes focused on me. I took it as the cue to present what I've prepared since three nights ago. I silently slipped my hand into my own cloak; it was a black coloured cloak which was embellished with complex rune schemes that the current era Rune Master could only dream to create, to cover the process of taking out something from my 'Inventory'.

What I took out was the set of CCCO Ver. 2.0, consisted of the fist-sized Celestite orbs and the 30x30 cm square plate of Fluorite with a complex rune scheme engraved on its smooth surface.

I ignored everyone's curiosity and took a few steps in front of the Ruler of Wallachia. I then put down the stone plate first before I put down the crystal ball on the spot prepared on the plate. Next, I channelled my 'Mana' into the artefact, activating it.

The complicated rune scheme on the fluorite's smooth surface glowed with mysterious cyan light and the round and smooth Celestite Orbs shined brightly afterwards. The Celestite Orbs then projected a semitransparent screen three meters above it in the empty air. The screen was 5x7.5 m wide and was separated into nine different windows. It showed the real-time video of the enemy posts around the Tepes Council's base.

"This is . . . I see, so this is the magic trinket equivalent of the mortal's latest CCTV, isn't it?" commented Vlad Tepes, impressed. I nodded my head silently in gratitude for his praise. "Colour me impressed, my young wizard friend. However, is this only what you have prepared? Perhaps, is there something more?"

"This is only the beginning, my lord," I responded calmly and turned my sight on the floating screen.

Although it was at midnight and supposedly dark outside, the lighting of the video wasn't bad. Normal human eyes could see the detail of the Cainblood's Vampire Faction posts in each window.

The enemy's army had surrounded the Tepes Council's territory in the tight encirclement, sealing all eight directions. In each post, there were around 500 Lesser Vampires, 250 Vampire Nobles and 75 Vampire Ancestors. The total number of the enemy was, more or less, around 6,600 vampires.

It made me curious how such massive quantity of vampires being kept hidden from the masses. I supposed they had their ways, just like wizards and witches with their Statue of Secrecy. But, I digressed.

I turned my sight to the vampires below and began my explanation: "As you all have known from the scouts, in this so-called war, the Cainblood Vampire Faction's army outnumbered the Tepes Council by five to one. Even though the Vampire Ancestors and Vampire Nobles are armed with the Bloodedges and the Runic Plates set, Tepes Council will be cornered into a deep end if they swarm us with their bigger number, which I am very sure it is their plan. Thus, I have prepared something I hope to cull down their number or be enough to eradicate all opposition in one sweep."

The reactions were varying. Some showed their interest strongly; some showed indifference and some showed distaste to me. I ignored the third group easily.

"And what's your plan to cut down their number, my young friend?" asked Vlad with a curious glint in his blood red eyes.

"My plan is this . . ." I replied while taking out a small jade orb from my 'Inventory', masked with my cloak.

The effect was instant. There were those with incredulous looks, those with annoyed expression because they thought I was fooling around and those who openly showed their contempt because of a mere racial difference between us.

My lips curled into a vicious smile. "Look at the screen," I told them. After they followed my instruction, I channelled my 'Mana' into the jade orb, activating the trigger planted in it and shattering the jade in the process.

A moment later, the screen displayed an amazing sight. Each post was engulfed in raging fire. A shimmering dome-shaped barrier contained both fire and the vampire appeared from empty air. When the enemy's vampires tried to get out, the barrier stopped them. They tried to destroy the barrier with their weapons or limbs but they barrier stayed strong.

This was the power of well-done preparation. After I found out that there were massive leylines under Tepes' Castle which spread for several kilometres wide, not unlike the ones under Hogwarts' castle, I made a simple yet brutal plan.

First, I created eight massive altars with rune scheme for summoning a magical fire and creating a powerful barrier to block the fire and vampires from getting out. It was a shame I couldn't create a suitable rune scheme to summon forth the Fiendfyre because it would eliminate all enemies in one sweep. In the end, I could only create a suitable rune scheme for summoning forth the high-level fire elemental curse.

Second, I tasked my House-elves to subtly put the plates under each post. I wasn't sure if my minions could do it without alerting those vampires. To my surprise, however, they easily dug underground rooms and put the plates in there. Somehow, my cute, little minions had increased their stealth ability without my knowledge. It wasn't bad. In the matter of the fact, I was proud of their progress.

The last step of my plan was to burn down the posts and the vampires in it while they had their own pre-battle preparation.

I loved it when the plan went smoothly.

When the vampires in the Tepes' throne room watched the spectacular sight, their eyes turned wide and their lower jaws slackened in disbelief. Then, their disbelief turned into awe and fear.

I had shown how it was better to have me as an ally instead of as an enemy.

After that, I turned my attention to the continuous stream of system notices, informing me of every MVP I did tonight. I was amazed at how the system followed the massive influx of the information. I found out that I'd completed the requirement to clear up my quest.

A few minutes later, the system prompts stopped and I found out that I had levelled up ten times to level 49. I was close to level 50, only 29.2% left to level up.

I opened my 'Status Window' to check my updated information and found,

 **Asmodias Lustburg** **  
General Information:  
** **\- Race: Wizard** **  
\- Title(s): [Gamer] [Adept Sorcerer] [Locked] [Locked]  
** **\- Level: 49 – 70.8% to next level** **  
** **\- Health:** **1110  
** **\- Mana:** **6300(3150+100%)  
** **Statistics Attributes:**

 **Strength: 111**

 **Agility: 114**

 **Mind: 310(124+100%+50%)**

 **Magic: 315(126+100%+50%)**

 **Miscellaneous:** **  
** **[Free Attribute Points: 245]**

One level left before the third Title's slot was unlocked.

The second slot of the 'Title' was used for 'Adept Sorcerer' title. I'd got that title after my 'Magic' reached 100pts. For the detail of the Title, it went like this:

 **Adept Sorcerer - Perk: Increase Mind and Magic statistics by 50%**

I dismissed my 'Status Window' and turned my sight to all vampires in this room and found they were still staring at the screen with blank faces as the fire and the magical barrier still existed in the enemy's burning posts.

My inner clock alerted me that the duration of the rune scheme I'd installed under the enemy's posts was almost up, I immediately changed the viewing mode from normal to magic vision by channelling my 'Mana' to one symbol engraved on the plate.

The feeds changed from normal mode into negative view; the blazing fire became orange colour and several dark red dots could be spotted in the orange glow. The dark red dots were the vampires of Cainblood Faction that survived the deadly trap somehow.

I'd found out that Vampires could use magic, albeit not as good as a mortal. There were three main branches of mysteries Vampire could use. The first was their Umbrakinetic, the ability to control shadow. The second was the ability to shapeshift into shadows, fogs or nocturnal animals. The last in the list was blood magic and following its name, blood magic needed their blood which was very precious to vampires.

It was very enlightening when I found out that fact from Mina Tepes a few days ago.

The explanation about these three magical abilities was for another time since I'd digressed long enough.

"What the meaning of this view, my friend?" said Vlad after he snapped out from his daze.

The other vampires had returned back from their dazed trance too and they looked at me with varying emotions, ranging from grudging respect, curiosity, wariness and even blatant fear. I ignored the vampires below and focused my attention on the King of Tepes Council.

"This, my lord, is the magic viewing mode of my upgraded device, the CCS Ver. 2.0, which connect to the CCCO Ver.2.0. The orange light is the colour of the widescale 'Incendio' rune scheme I've planted under their posts last night while the dark red dots are the surviving enemies. I don't know how they survived my trap but I guess most of them made of stronger stuff."

After a small pause, I continued, "I suppose it's better if you order your army to attack them when they are still down and we finish this farce of a war in one sweep, no?"

The True Ancestor guffawed loudly after he listened to my words. After he calmed down, he ordered his underlings to attack their downed enemy and apprehended his first son if he had survived my trap. They started to move; some changed into fogs, some changed into animals like bats or crows and some went out with their feet.

Vlad himself didn't go down the battlefield. There was nothing he could do in the field and his army was enough to clean up their remaining enemy.

With this, Cainblood Vampire Faction was officially dethroned from their place as one of the six strongest vampire covens in the world. They needed a long time to recover their lost number. The power vacuum would shake the vampire community and it would become chaotic soon enough. However, I put aside that thought for later musing.

"Well, since this farce has finished, more or less, how about we take a leisure break in my study, my young wizard friend?" said Vlad.

Since there was nothing to do, I accepted Vlad's offer. Then, we went together to his study.

Mina who surprisingly stayed behind as her step-siblings and other vampires went for the hunt followed us after Vlad beckoned to her to join us.

—»·O·«—

"Pardon me? I thought I heard that wrong, my lord? Could you repeat it for me?"

I stared incredulously at the legendary vampire sitting on the sofa across me. The cup with delicious earl grey tea stopped a few inches away from my lips. My body had frozen the moment I heard what Vlad had said.

I was sitting in the high-quality sofa inside Vlad Tepes' luxurious study. Meanwhile, sitting on the other sofa, across the table in front of me, was Vlad Tepes and his latest adopted daughter: Mina Tepes the 7th Tepes Princess.

It was the next night after the army of the Cainblood Vampire Faction was utterly destroyed by my well-placed traps. Since the notice of the completed quest hadn't appeared yet, I decided to visit the Tepes' Castle like what I've done in past several nights.

"In behest of my Council's decision, my youngest daughter, Mina, will be wed to you after you entered adulthood by your people's law, my young friend," said Vlad Tepes at once.

I regarded the vampire lord carefully and I found the old vampire was dead serious. His blood eyes dared me to challenge his verdict. I then turned my sight to Mina, trying to see her reaction and saw her twinkling red eyes, shining gleefully as she stared back, coaxing me to accept it. She had a small, shy smile as she gave me a faint nod. If she was still a human, I was sure her cheeks would turn red from her excitement.

I mentally sighed at that. There was a perpetual loop of a headache and soothing sensation in my head. Even my Gamer's Mind was working hard, huh?

"Can you give me the reason behind this sudden offer, my lord?" I said politely, hiding my real thoughts about the matter.

"You've shown your valour, my young friend, and my council will be delighted if someone like you joined our coven. Although you're a mere baby in the eyes of undead like us, you have shown you're capable and worth our respect," said Vlad Tepes at once. "It's up to you if you want to be turned into a Vampire Ancestor by me in the future, or stay as a mortal to your death door. The future isn't set in stone. Perhaps, you will accept it, perhaps you will not. Who knows what will happen, no?"

"What'll happen if I decline your generosity, my lord?" I inquired, tasting the water so to speak.

Vlad smiled amiably but my 'Danger Detection' skill blared alive. I stared at Vlad's twinkling eyes and found the hidden brutality and viciousness in there. I realized that declining this offer was a big no-no for me.

". . . hypothetically, of course," I added in hurry.

Vlad simply smiled and said, "You're a smart young wizard, my friend. So, should've guessed it, no?"

I let my body sink into the high-quality sofa as my mind tried to think my answer carefully. Should I accept this one-sided decision pushed to me, or not? That question took the majority of my mindscape.

Declining sounds tempting but I could expect Vlad and the Tepes Council would take it as an insult. After all, this was their princess they had offered to me. If they felt insulted because I declined this offer — it was more like something forced to me actually — then they would be offended and they would become my enemy.

I didn't want to make a massive organization that had deeply rooted in the world for hundreds of years as my enemy, not when I was still weak. Yes, I realized that I was still weak. It was true that I had triumphed against the more powerful enemy from Lord Voldemort to Marius Cainblood and lately the thousands Cainblood vampires.

However, it was because I used my brain. I won because of a surprise factor and thorough preparation and systematic plan. At the moment, I didn't have any upper hand against the Tepes Council. If they became my enemy, it was basically my dead end.

 _"What to do? What to do? What to do?"_ I chanted that mantra in my head.

My mind reiterated what I had known about the vampire from Mina.

Vampires were also known as the undead, the creature of the night and the darkness. Many believed vampire to be a living corpse but the assumption was both correct and wrong. It was correct because they were close to the corpse yet it was wrong because they weren't entirely dead.

A vampire could grow as slowly as it was; they had a heartbeat as faintly as it was; they needed sustenance even though it was to keep their own blood to circulate and most important of all, in this special circumstance, they could procreate and produce offspring.

However, as creatures with alignment closer to the darkness, the chaos and the death, their procreating was very rare. It was close to an unholy miracle.

Since the moment Vlad was turned into a True Ancestor, his Mistresses were rarely pregnant with Vlad's spawn and if there was a slim chance they were pregnant, the delivering process would be beyond dangerous for the mother and child. It wasn't a rare occurrence for the mother and the infant died in the process. Hence, adoption was the better alternative since the adopted vampire also bore the same blood with the adopting vampire.

Having Mina as my fiancée didn't seem to be a bad idea. We had bonded enough in the past two weeks I spent my time in this castle. The real problem was how the Tepes Council would control me later. Of course, it wouldn't be a problem after I became strong enough.

I was 100% sure that I don't wish to be a vampire. For immortality, I had the Philosopher Stone with me and I was in the process reverse-engineering the stone. After I could recreate the Magnum Opus of Nicholas Flamel, I could grasp immortality easily.

I silently checked Vlad with my 'Observation' and found his stats were still filled with question marks. How high his level actually was?

I weighed my options carefully.

After a while, I returned back to reality and stared at the father-daughter pair in front of me. Vlad Tepes seemed calm while the anxiety in Mina's eyes was obvious even to me.

With a heavy sigh, I decided to take a leap of faith.

"I . . . humbly accept your generous offer, my lord," I said while smiling a faint, strained smile.

"Good! Good! Very good!" said Vlad with a wide smirk on his face, his fangs poking out and his blood red eyes glittering brightly. It was an intimidating sight, to be honest.

"However, I can still attend Hogwarts until I graduate, yes?"

"Of course, of course, you can continue your education until you graduate from Hogwarts. How long it'll be? Seven years?"

"Six years," I corrected.

"It is only six years — a blink of eyes for me," said Vlad dismissively, "Since you have accepted my council's offer, you're my daughter's fiancé for henceforth. I'll leave you, the two youngsters, behind to build a closer bond."

Vlad stood up and walked to one of the dark corners in his study. His body transformed into shadow and my 'Presence Detection' lost him immediately thereafter. There were only me and Mina left in the room.

"So, how shall I call you from henceforth? Shall I call you with 'husband'?" said Mina with a faint, embarrassed smile on her doll-like face.

At that moment, a familiar sound rang in my head.

Ding!

 **You have completed special event quest!  
Reward(s): 10,000Exp, Permanent Alliance with Tepes Council, Registered as Tepes Council's Member, Mina Tepes becomes your fiancée**

 **Levelled up to level 50.  
Gained 1pt for Strength, Agility, Mind and Magic statistic attributes.  
Gained 5pts for free attribute points.  
Your third Title's slot has been unlocked.  
You can switch your Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body skill between active and non-active.  
Your Health, Willpower and all negative status effects have been healed.**

Although I have levelled up and gained many perks from this level 50 milestone, I didn't feel happy.

"It's a little hasty to call me with 'husband', don't you think?" I replied blankly.

Yes, I wasn't happy.

Not at all. . .

 **—»·O·«—**

It happened before Asmodias Lustburg prepared his trap to cull down the Cainblood Vampire Faction's army; his house-elves were in the middle of an important operation.

40 house-elves, fully armed to their teeth, were surrounding Malfoy's manor. They have tracked back Dobby's connection to the family he served.

They have wasted the whole week to prepare this operation — the first operation they did without their master guidance or planning. Everything was prepared by Barmy and Wonky as well as some input from the others.

Of course, the brainstorming the whole plans didn't last more than three hours. The reason why they wasted so much time it was because of the D.O.A. style tournament to find the leader of seven squads for the operation, bar Barmy's squad as the leader was obvious. All house-elves wanted the glory to lead a squad in the name of their most glorious master.

Fortunately, there was no casualty in that savage tournament and the most dangerous wound was broken bones and cracked skulls; nobody was permanently maimed in that tournament.

They have found out that Malfoy House had bonded with three house-elves in this week and every two days, the master assassin of House-Elves Black Ops, Freaky and Horny, had killed those house-elves in cold blood.

Normally, house-elves wouldn't kill their own kind with the exceptional cases but the members of House-elves Black Ops were different from their normal brethren. They were trained, dangerous and lethal house-elves that have been freed from the moronic indoctrination of house-elves as they grew up from a mere moldable, foolish adolescent.

When they fight, they don't wrestle in the mud harmlessly like children. They fight with the skill of a martial guru with intent to apprehend, maim or kill their enemy in the most efficient way.

When they do magic, they don't only do magic for household's chore or rough magic to defend themselves. They do the lethal kind of magic to harm those who are in their path.

They were also armed with the latest muggle firearms that enchanted with rune-based enchantment with varying effects.

It wasn't a mistake if they were acknowledged to be ten times more efficient than even special units of Country's black ops.

Besides, they lived with a single creed: "Everything for Master Lusty-Bug Sir's glory."

To keep their creed, they wouldn't shy away from the path of bloodshed. They would wipe out anything that would threaten their most glorious master.

"This is Barmy to all squads in the ground zero! Is the preparation ready?"

Barmy, the beret-wearing, tyrannical leader of the H.E.B.O. spoke to the other squad leaders via the magical version of walky-talky their brothers and sisters in 'Crafty Department' have created.

The general of House-elves Black Ops immediately received answers from the leaders of the squads dispatched to the war zone one by one.

"This is the Horny squad. We have disposed of the bad house-elf serving the bad wizard."

That was the fourth house-elf serving for their target in the last eight days. Barmy took a mental note at that before he dismissed it. Their target won't see them tomorrow after tonight. He was sure of it.

"This is the Crazy squad. The muggle's explosives have been planted and ready to detonate anytime. We are on standby to burn everything to the ground!"

Ah, the Crazy squad was filled with nothing but explosion-nuts and pyromaniacs. They were the masters of burning everything into cinders.

"This is the Cocky squad. We are almost finished cleaning the bad wizard's golds!"

Well, Cocky was still a cocky house-elf. Barmy noted that little fact.

Sometimes, the cocky house-elf would present a good idea, even though he had overstepped his limits. Unfortunately, Barmy found the majority of the house-elf ideas were insufferable and blasphemous. Not even the most brutal punishment Barmy had delivered to the cocky house-elf had cured the fool's foolishness.

At least, Cocky's skill was on the top-ten list. It was his only saving grace.

"This is the Corny squad. We are still in the middle of cleaning the bad artefacts, over!"

Now, it's unacceptable! They were pressed by the schedule.

Barmy interjected immediately and gave an order to the Corny squad, "Speed up your job, Corny squad! To others, continue your report."

"This is the Corny squad, again. Asking for reinforcements! The bad artefacts are too many and too baaad~ over!"

As Barmy extorted his mind to find a way to deal with this conundrum, he heard the report of another squad.

"This is the Jerky squad. We have finished installing Anti-Portkey and Anti-Apparition wards! Can I go to help the Corny squad, Sir?"

"The Horny squad wants to help the Corny squad too, sir."

Barmy was elated that the other squads were very competent. It helped him out with his dilemma.

"The Jerky squad and the Horny squad, go help the Corny squad!" said Barmy to the Jerky squad and the Horny squad.

"This is the Jerky squad. Affirmative!"

"This is the Horny squad. We heard it clearly!"

"This is the Potty squad. The Floo connection has been cut down, sir. Can I help Corny squad too? Over!"

"If your squad have finished your task; go help the Corny squad!" Barmy ordered at once.

"This is the Potty squad. Affirmative, sir!"

"This is the Flunky squad. No suspicious wizards around the parameter, sir!"

After the Flunky squad, there was no squad left.

There were eight squads in this operation; the Barmy squad, the Horny squad, the Crazy squad, the Cocky squad, the Corny squad, the Jerky squad, the Potty squad and the Flunky squad. Each squad had five members, squad's leader included.

Each operator of this mission was generally armed with a customized bulletproof vest, a set of black military uniform enchanted to be resistant to low-to-mid level curse, a black military helm with magical version of the night vision and heat vision goggles, a pair of customized military combat boots with silent rune-based enchantment, a taser gun, and a survival knife enchanted with sharpness and anti-breaking enchantments. They were also armed with secondary firearms: five 'Eurometaal Nr20' Anti-Personnel Fragmentation Hand Grenade with anti-heat, anti-kinetic force, which would creat radii soundproof barrier when activated and a Colt Anaconda Six-Shot Revolver with anti-breaking, anti-theft, auto-cleaning, auto-reloading rune-based enchantments.

For the main firearms, each member was given different firearm. The firearm distribution was following the hierarchy, meaning that the leader got a better weapon than the underlings. First of all, the main firearms for squad leaders were Calico M960 Submachine Gun (SMG) with 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition calibre with anti-breaking, anti-theft, auto-cleaning and auto-reloading rune-based enchantments. On the other hand, the main firearms for the underlings were Bushmaster M17S Bull-Pup Civilian Sporting Rifle with 5.56x45mm calibre bullet and anti-breaking, anti-theft, auto-cleaning and auto-reloading rune-based enchantments.

There were also special firearms for the squad with the special tasks like the Funky squad and the Crazy squad. The main firearms for the Funky squad which watched the surrounding parameter were Barrett M90 Bolt-Action Bullpup Anti-Material Sniper Rifle with Optics, Optional Scopes, Sights and Night Vision sighting assists and anti-breaking, anti-theft, auto-cleaning and auto-reloading rune-based enchantments.

Meanwhile, the Crazy squad with more . . . destructive role was armed with Dynamit-Nobel Panzerfaust 3, the Single-Shot Disposable Anti-tank Rocket Launcher with an auto-self-banishing rune-based enchantment after being used and KBP RPO-A (Shmel) Shoulder-Fired, Rocket-Propelled Flamethrower with anti-breaking, anti-theft, auto-cleaning and Dark Magic 'Tainting' rune-based enchantments.

Overall, they were the best of H.E.B.O. could offer and the chance their operation would fail was very low.

Barmy made a pensive expression as he thought his next move. He looked at his wristwatch, Rolex Yellow Gold Stainless Steel, which had been liberated from muggle's shop somewhere. It showed the time was at 1 AM.

The bad wizard and his family members were sleeping, oblivious to the fact that their house had been invaded and their precious possession had been ransacked. Then again, they wouldn't be the best black ops if they were found our early, were they not?

"This is Barmy to all squads bar the Flunky squad and the Crazy squad. After you all finished storing the bad wizard's magic trinkets into a safe place, start the mission immediately!"

"This is the Corny squad. Affirmative, sir!"

"This is the Jerky squad. Affirmative, sir!"

"This is the Horny squad. Affirmative, sir!"

"This is the Potty squad. Affirmative, sir!"

Barmy turned his head to look back at his squad member. There were Pussy, Prissy, Dummy and Freaky, standing with their back straight. They were exuding alertness only most experienced soldier of a nation could display. At such show of alertness, Barmy felt a smidgen of pride because he had a part in shaping these house-elves into something worthy to serve his most glorious master.

Shorter than what Barmy had estimated, the assault teams returned to the extraction point. All squads with the Crazy squad and the Flunky squad as the exceptions were presenting themselves before his squad. However, the dictatorial leader found that the Cocky squad and the Horny squad had brought extra with them.

The cocky squad had brought the bad wizard's wife with them. The woman was bound with strong rope and her wand was nowhere to be seen. The woman had a terrified expression on her face. She was surprisingly naked and the stink smell of post-coitus came from her body.

Barmy realized that the woman and the bad wizard had likely had sex before they fell asleep. In the end, Barmy didn't care about that insignificant little detail.

On the other hand, the Horny squad had taken the bad wizard's daughter with them. Barmy vaguely remembered how the young witch was supposedly their future mistress' archenemy. Wonky had told him many times about the group of young witches that had antagonized their future mistress.

The young witch was also tied with rope and her wand was confiscated. Her face contorted in fear and confusion —it was mostly confusion, Barmy guessed— as she couldn't understand what was happening.

There was no bad wizard — the main target — and he should have been dealt by them before his body was sent to a freezer in Alpha Base. Wizard's body still had some uses even though they'd died.

The dictatorial leader of H.E.B.O. focused his sight on the likely perpetrator of this stunt and glared at Cocky.

"Cocky!" Barmy started, "Why did your squad and Horny's squad spare the bad wizard's wife and daughter. You know the content of the mission, yes?"

"Sir, Cocky thinks that it is better to leave them alive for further use!" said Cocky after a quick salute.

Barmy was intrigued by Cocky's reasoning and asked his rebelliousness underling a question.

"What do you mean?"

"Cocky has read their information that our brothers and sisters in the 'Snooping Department' has collected," started Cocky, "The bad wizard had many connections in wizarding Wizengamot and it is a pity to waste their connections. Furthermore, the girl is also heiress apparent of Black House, which has many political clouts in Great Britain's wizarding community's politic. Instead of killing them, Cocky thinks that their resources can be used to help our most glorious master in the future."

"Pray tell me how do you will keep them in line? They can rebel and endanger our most glorious master if they aren't controlled properly," said Barmy, giving Cocky his meanest glare.

"We can give them wizard's loyalty or love potions until they won't betray our most glorious master, sir! Our brothers and sisters in the 'Crafty Department' can prepare the potions if asked and Cocky is sure there won't be a problem, sir!"

The witches were horrified from the conversation of the two House-elves. They felt fear for their life and future. Too bad they could do nothing for they were bound on their place and their wands were confiscated. They couldn't even create an accidental magic phenomenon from their distress because of the muggle's handcuffs, which were enchanted with rune-based enchantment to restrain their magic.

Barmy made a pensive expression after Cocky finished his argument. Cocky's idea was good; he mentally praised Cocky's cunning plan. He knew that their most glorious master was an exceptional and extraordinarily outstanding wizard. However, his master was only a muggle-born and he didn't have any political clouts in Britain's magical society. It would help their master in his conquest later.

At that moment, his magical walky-talky device made a sound, telling him of the incoming call. He took out the device and listened to what the other side tried to tell him.

"This is the Crazy squad! We're waiting for the order to start burning down the place, sir. Please give us the instruction as quickly as possible. We have become restless from waiting for the order too long, sir!"

Barmy didn't answer immediately; he was thinking if burning down the bad wizard's house is necessary or not at this point.

Cocky's brilliant idea had changed the parameter of their mission. If Cocky hadn't given Barmy a good argument to defend his idea, Barmy would call for the daughter-mother pair's execution on the spot and blow Malfoy's manor soon after.

However, Barmy found that he couldn't blow the manor if they intended to use the witches like what Cocky had planned.

After Barmy contemplated silently for a moment, he decided to leave the manor alone for now. He told the Crazy squad about the sudden change in plan.

"Barmy to the Crazy squad. You all return back to extraction point immediately. There's a change in our plan!"

"What?" Barmy could hear Crazy's dismayed voice from the other side, "We won't blow up this place, Sir?"

"Yes," Barmy replied at once, "Return back immediately! This is an order!"

Popping sounds appeared around them at once. The Crazy squad had 'apparated' to Barmy's position. They were sulking because they were denied their favourite activity. The newly arrived five House-elves showed how ready they were to burn down the Malfoy's manor with their flamethrower in their arms.

"Crazy squad reporting, Sir!"

Crazy saluted to Barmy. His salute lacked the usual vigour because he was in withdrawal symptom from the lack of explosion or burning building.

Barmy dismissed the explosion-nut and pyromaniac house-elves and gave the two tied up witches a last glance. Then, he brought his brothers and sisters back to their Alpha Base, which was built deep underground somewhere unknown in Great Britain Island. He wanted to finish the extra objective as quickly as possible and get two loyal witches and their resources for his most glorious master, unwittingly adding another problem for his master.

* * *

 _Author's Humble Notes:_ **  
** _\- I have changed the Stats contents. I'll edit the previous chapter later._ **  
** _\- I'm going to let you decide the fate of Lyra and Narcissa. Either they become Dias' loyal NORMAL attendant or become something more in salacious way. Pick your choice in the review._ **  
** _\- Anyway, good for you all who have answered my previous quiz correctly. The answer is Seraph of the End._ **  
** _\- I am going to take three days break. So, the next chapter and the official beginning of Second Year part will be published in the day after the day after tomorrow._


	14. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (01)

_**Foreword: I changed Tepes surname in the previous chapter to Dracula. I found out Tepes means the Impaler while Dracula means the son/spawn of Dragon/Devil in Romanian. I'll change it later.**_

 **Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

The first of September in 1992 arrived after the long and tiring summer break. After I packed my effects, I was taken to the King's Cross by Clara and Natasha.

This time, Natasha followed us to the King's Cross because she wanted to bid her farewell to me. The freckled girl was still in a sour mood after she found out that she couldn't follow me to my private school. She had become a student in Junior High School close to the orphanage in Yorkshire. At first, she too wanted to enrol to Hogwarts but it was impossible because she was a muggle. I easily denied her wish by telling her that my private school only accepts students via invitation.

"Study hard, work hard, don't create trouble for the teacher and your friend," said Clara as she hugged me closely. I savoured the warmth in my chest as I hugged someone I had seen as my own big sister, even though I never said that aloud.

After I could turn on or off my Gamer's Mind skill, I had turned it off without further ado. I couldn't help savouring the freedom from expressing my feelings openly. The decade-long of living with constant calmness had made me forgotten how good to express oneself. Of course, many quirked their brows because I had been grinning disgustingly like a loon.

I found out that even after I turned off the Gamer's Mind, it still passively protected my mind from any attempt at mind reading or malicious thing to my mind. It was only the calming effect of my Gamer's Mind that had been turned off.

Speaking of my two escorts, the sole matron of my orphanage was wearing rather conservative attire consisted of a dark coloured blouse and a long, matching skirt. She donned a beige coloured jacket on top of her blouse. She also put on a pair of high-heeled strapped sandals. Meanwhile, Natasha wore a simple white one-piece summer dress with a cute, little teddy bear attached on the breast pocket and long ribbon around her waist tied in butterfly knot on her back as the accessories coming as a set with the dress. Her feet were protected by a pair of pink-and-white girl's shoes.

"Who did you think I am? I'm not someone who'll openly give trouble to the other. Just you know that my dorm's head who's also the teacher of 'Physic' favoured me so much!" I boasted with a smug smirk after Clara released me from her embrace.

But, really, how my mind ever came to the idea that Professor Flitwick related with 'Physic'? The only relation between them I could draw on was how Professor Flitwick was basically the enemy of all physics in this world. As the matter of fact, Professor Flitwick taught his student from levitating an object to making fruits doing tap-dance on the table with swish and flicks of a wand and unintelligible incantations. It was basically a blatant middle finger to the logic of physic that scientist followed zealously.

At the funny irony, I snickered, earning weirded looks from Clara and Natasha

"Uh, Big Sis Carla, am I the only one who's worried about Dias' health?" Natasha whispered in a worried tone.

"No, you're not the only one, dear," replied Natasha.

I rolled my eyes at that. Then, I bid my farewell to Clara and the unwilling Natasha. After being separated from them, I pulled my trolley to Platform ¾. As I expected, the Platform was crowded with students, both old and new, as well as their family.

Along the way, I was greeted by some acquaintances I'd made in the past year. After I climbed the iron steps, I immediately searched for my friends, I supposed they were. I used a wandless 'Point-Me' charm subtly to take me there. I followed in the destination my left index finger pulled me into. Soon, I arrived in the compartment where my clique was staying in.

The moment I entered the compartment, all attention focused on me. I found Holly was sitting between the Patil twins while Su and Hermione were sitting across them with the bushy haired brunette sitting near the window. What made me feel weird was the cold treatment from the girls. I was at lost when I saw that.

After I levitated my trunk into the rack above us, I bewitched the door with locking charm, anti-Alohomora charm and transfigured the handle like what I had done in the past. I then sat down near the door, next to Su.

"Now, why all of you treat me like I'm a criminal who has murdered your beloved pet?" I asked the girls.

They stared at me with dirty gazes. Holly was the only one who didn't look in my direction; she was watching the Platform ¾ through the window.

"Maybe, you have forgotten something important."

It was Hermione who had said that. I turned my sight to her and stared silently, bemused.

"Boys, all of them are same," Parvati said with a suffering voice, confusing me even further. Her distasteful look offended me if I need to be honest with myself.

Since I've turned off my 'Gamer's Mind' skill, I felt annoyance from the girls' unreasonable treatment. However, I considered myself as an adult among all of us. It would be unacceptable to my ego if I lost my patience because of the girls' childish treatment. In the end, I tried to remember what I've supposedly forgotten but I found nothing. However, the girls' cold shoulder treatment told me that I'd done something unforgivable.

"I give up," I raised my hand as I said that, "Tell me what I've done wrong till you all are treating me like this?"

The girls looked at each other in the eyes before they focused their attention on Holly. Speaking of the Girl Who Lived, she didn't deign my presence and treated me like I didn't exist.

I frowned at that. My mind slowly connected the dots. The reason behind the girls' cold shoulder treatment related to Holly. They assumed I've wronged her somehow. As matter of fact, we didn't even meet in the summer holiday. I then wrecked my brain a little more as I tried to gain insight to enlighten me of this event. It was after I realized that Holly's birthday was at the end of last July I finally realized the root of the problem. I couldn't help chuckling at their childishness.

"Really? You all are acting like this because I have forgotten Holly's birthday?"

At my light toned question, Holly stirred. She turned her sight in my direction and I held back my instinctive wince as I saw her cold gaze. It was like she was looking down on vermin. I then schooled my expression and gazed back to Holly. We had intense staring match; the tension spiked up in the compartment. The other girls even held down their breath. Inwardly, I thought a bit the reason for her unreasonable act. Why should she act like I have wronged her; it was only a birthday . . . Oh! I finally realized my fault.

Holly had never celebrated her birthday. As a matter of fact, she never had any pleasant birthday in the past decade. So, she should have felt her latest birthday as special circumstance because of the first birthday gifts she got from her friends. Unfortunately, I couldn't prepare any gift for her because of my business in Romania.

However, I was confused why she had this intense reaction just from me forgetting to send her a birthday's gift. Don't tell me she grew a crush on me or, God forbids, falls in love with me? That sounded surreal, though. Why should she fancy me? It wasn't like I tried to woo her in the past year. It was true that I had done my best to help her . . . Of course, that's the problem. She has grown a crush on me because I'd treated her with a care that was beyond the realm of friendship. It was like treating someone very precious, like family or something else.

I felt a headache crept into my head. I found another problem and it was related to women, again. It was just less than two weeks ago I've been forced to be Mina Dracula's fiancé. Now, I find another girl has a crush on me. Oh, joy!

Please, note my sarcasm . . .

Speaking of my undead fiancée, that vampire princess had moved into my neighbourhood last week. She had bought the biggest house near my orphanage and had visited the orphanage almost every day, much to Natasha's ire. The freckled girl realized Mina was her love rival at the first glance.

I didn't want to understand how a little girl below seventeen-year-old understood love or romance. As a matter of fact, I didn't want to waste my brain cells for that matter.

Although Vampire Ancestor wasn't a daywalker (a type of vampire that can walk under the sun) like the True Ancestor, they still could move under the sun. However, their statistics were halved because of the sunlight. For Vampire Nobles, they could only retain 1/10 of their statistics under the sun. On the other hand, the Lesser Vampires would burn out immediately under the sun.

Mina Dracula didn't go to King's Cross because there were too many wizards and witches in the vicinity; it also would get wrong attention.

But, I digressed since I was in the middle of another headache-inducing realization. This time was related to the Girl Who Lived.

I would dismiss Holly's silly crush if the effect wouldn't be so bad. She was still in a fragile state. A small feeling of being betrayed would return her back to her past self that hated males with passion. As a matter of fact, it could be worse, I supposed.

I hypothesized that the reason behind her growing crush was that of my kindness, attentiveness and care for her in the past year. It was quite reasonable for her who has hated males for long to feel more than friendship feeling after she accepted that not all males were bad and being treated like she was a precious thing. However, I never had any intention to make her into my lover. Not even a candidate. This was frustrating, to be honest.

I was tempted to tell her I already had a fiancée. However, I discarded that idea because it would open the lid of a can full of worms, so to speak. These noisy girls would try to find out who was my fiancée and if they found out that my fiancée was a vampire, somehow, it was going to be another problem I didn't want to deal with. Not including the fact that Britain's wizarding community was filled with the bunch of extremists and racists. It could be worse, I suppose. It was very clear from how they treated the muggleborn and the werewolves. I couldn't help imaging the troublesome days if my engagement with Mina Dracula came to light.

Yes, in the end, it was better my engagement with the vampire princess was kept as a secret until it was the appropriate time to bring it out.

Now, what shall I do to the Girl Who Lived? Of course, the TPO (Time, Place and Opportunity) gave me so many disadvantages and I could only continue to be friendly to her. In the end, my options were limited. First on the list, however, I need to apologize to her for forgetting her birthday.

"Sorry for forgetting your birthday," I apologized as earnestly as possible.

The Girl Who Lived seemed nonplused at that. She continued gazing me down with her cold gaze. I felt like a lowlife from her silent gaze. Please cease that look as soon as possible; I don't turn on my 'Gamer's Mind' at the moment and I don't think my fragile heart can take it any longer.

"In was very busy last holiday," I added. It wasn't a lie; I was really busy, "So, I've forgotten your birthday because of it. Sorry."

Holly said nothing.

It was Parvati who voiced others' curiosity. "What were you doing in the holiday, by the way?" asked Parvati.

"I have had business in Romania," I answered at once.

"Romania?" Hermione perked up, "That place is very good for a holiday. Nature is very fresh and there are many unpolluted highlands for hiking and camping. It's a good place to have a holiday."

I felt amused at Hermione's statement. If only she knows what I've done in that place. . .

"Romania, is it?" Padma chimed in, showing a disturbed expression which was mirrored by Su.

"I read a copy of the Magical Globe that there's something big has happened in there," said Su.

"The Magical Globe, excuse me, but what is it?" Hermione voiced her, my and Holly's confusion to the unfamiliar name.

"A name of the international magical newspaper," Parvati elaborated, "It's not like the rubbish known as Daily Prophet because it presents the fact of what's happening in the magical side of the world."

"I think, I'm going to subscribe one for myself," pondered Hermione loudly.

"I can help you if you want," Parvati offered her help, which was accepted by Hermione in a heartbeat.

"So, what's happened in the magical side of Romania, by the way?" inquired Hermione with a curious voice.

Su and Padma exchanged a gaze, silently communicating who'll speak. In the end, it was Su who explained what she'd found out from her copy of the Magical Globe.

"It's said that there has been a war between two large vampire covens and the numbers of the vampires spotted in Wallachia were beyond five thousand."

"Really?" Hermione blinked in disbelief. It must be a surprise for the girl when she heard a large number of vampires.

"Yes," Padma concurred, "It has been the biggest vampire movement in the past one and a half century. However, the strange thing, even by magical folk's standard is how the war ended in one night."

"How so?" Hermione pressed for an answer.

"Hermione," Su started, "In the history, magical or muggle, there's no war ended in a mere one night. It was strange enough that the winner of the conflict is the vampire coven in Wallachia. You see, the vampire coven that had invaded Romania brought more than five thousands army to attack the Romanian vampire coven and the Romanian vampire coven themselves was only around a thousand. It was beyond everyone's expectation that the Romanian vampire coven survived the attack. However, the way that all the invaders died with nothing remained is the reason behind the interest of many international magical organizations."

As Su explained to Hermione, I said nothing and listened to Su's explanation carefully. I was a bit nervous because of this subject. I had expected it would create a ripple in a worldwide magical community but I never expected it to be this big. Not only International Confederation of Wizards and Witches (ICW) took attention to this exceptional case. Other large magical organizations in the world also shifted their attention to this case.

In my stay in Dracula's castle, I only got detailed information about the international vampire circle. It didn't broach the subject of other large organization in this world. From Su's quick summary, I found out there were other large organizations such as the Veela Coventry in French, the biggest centaur herd in Mongolia (I didn't know why the small herd in Forbidden Forest stayed there and migrated to Mongolia), Taoist Association in China, Japanese's Onmyōji Organization (although they showed interest in the more simple and easy to use Witchcraft and Wizardry, Onmyōdō was still the main practice of Japanese's sorcerers), World's Biggest Shaman Tribe in Mexico, Alchemist Association in French, and many others.

The information shocked Hermione and Holly silly. It showed them that they were like a frog gazing the sky from the bottom of the well.

Since everyone in the compartment was the studious and curious type, the discussion spiralled around the known state of magical community in other countries. Even Parvati showed she had a bit of Ravenclaw-ish trait in her as she didn't find the discussion boring. In the meantime, the two Ravenclaws (Su and Padma) promised to give us the copy of the 'Magical Global' later. Hermione had also insisted Parvati to help her subscribing her own copy of the Magical Globe later. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't interested to subscribe one for myself.

"Speaking of the latest news, I found out that Malfoy's father has been missing in past week," exclaimed Parvati suddenly.

My attention immediately focused on that.

"What do you mean?" I asked a bit hastily.

"Why are you suddenly interested, Lustburg? Don't tell me you fancy the Slytherin's Queenbitch and worry about her condition?" asked Parvati back.

Holly, Hermione and Su attention immediately focused on me. The intensity in their eyes as they waited for my answer disturbed me so much.

"Of course, not," I replied without missing a beat, "I'm curious. Malfoy Sr — Lucius Malfoy, I mean — is rumoured to be the one who holds the rein of Magical Britain's politic, no? Well, it's a rumour, but there won't be smoke without fire, right? Anyway, if not for the light faction spearheaded by Headmaster Dumbledore, it's said that the dark faction should have been the one which controls Magical Britain. He was also rumoured as one of the Imperiused Death Eaters, no?"

After a small pause and nods of acknowledgement from the girls, bar Holly, I continued, "That's also a reason why I'm curious about his disappearance. Who knows what that man is scheming when he's somewhere unknown, right?"

The girls' became pensive for a moment until Parvati opened her mouth.

"Eh, who cares?" she shrugged her shoulder, "That's adult stuff. We're still children. Instead of talking about boring stuff, why don't we talk something fun?" said the energetic one of the Patil twins.

Inwardly, I breathed out a sigh, relieved. I had lied to them. My interest in the Malfoy is that of Lucius' scheme for the second year. In the series, he supposedly didn't disappear all of sudden and pulled the string behind the whole Chamber of Secret fiasco by slipping Tom Riddle's Dairy Horcrux into Ginevra Weasley's cauldron.

Without Lucius Malfoy, I couldn't get my hand on the Dairy Horcrux. The Tom Riddle's Dairy, the Gaunt House's Ring and Helga Hufflepuff's Cup were the remaining Horcruxes left. If I lost the easy access to the dairy, I needed to move my House-elves. However, I wasn't sure if that was a good idea. If I moved my House-elves Black Ops, I must erase the Malfoy's existence to keep my Black Ops' existence secret.

It would bring unnecessary trouble if I erased their existence early in the game. Lucius Malfoy was quite prominent and well-known figure in Magical Britain after all.

I decided to inquire about Lucius Malfoy's disappearance to Padma since Parvati blew me up because she lost interest in topic unsuited for prepubescents. Fortunately, the older of the Patil twin entertained my curiosity and answered my questions patiently.

It seems that Lucius Malfoy's sudden disappearance in past week had gained the attention of many sides; light, dark and neutral respectively. Padma didn't know the real state of Magical Britain's politic but she told me her guess which matched mine; Magical Britain's politic, more importantly, the dark faction, was shaken. There were wizards in the dark faction tried to gain control but it wasn't that easy. Padma also mentioned how the Regent Lady of Malfoy House stepped in the politic field. Although Narcissa Malfoy, nee Black, couldn't return back the order in the dark faction, she had stabilized the dark faction's condition enough. Or at least, it was what the Patil twins and Su had read from their copies of Daily Prophet.

After I felt satisfied by Padma's quick summary of what happened in Magical Britain in the previous summer, I decided to pull back from the girls' conversation.

I had taken a mental note to ask my House-elves to gather information about this strange occurrence. I then watched the girls shared their summer holiday. I found out that Su Li returned back to her paternal family's homeland in far-east (I remembered that I'd asked Su if she could teach me how to tap my Ki and manipulate it and mix it with Mana like how Chinese's Taoist did it and I hoped she had positive news for me), the Patil twins returned back to India and had meeting with their family in India and Hermione spent her summer holiday with her family out of the country.

It wasn't a surprise when Holly told the girls that she spent her holiday in her unpleasant relative's house. Padma and Su, who were very attentive and thoughtful girls for someone at their age, reminded Holly that their family wouldn't mind if Holly spent her holiday in their place next summer, or in the next Yule Break and Boxing Day. Parvati also showed her agreement with her older twin sister plan to bring Holly with them for the next holiday.

Couldn't accept the fact that she was left behind by the Patil twins and Su, Hermione also offered her place and stated that her parents wouldn't mind if she brought a friend back home ("They will be delighted when they meet you, Holly! You see, I never had a friends because the whole accidental magic and all . . ." she began to ramble.) In the end, Su was the one who stopped Hermione by covering her motor-mouth with her hand.

From my position as the observer, I caught the glimmer of happiness in Holly's green eyes. She seemed oblivious to the fact. It wasn't like she understood the concept of happiness like normal children on her age. Dursley had done a large damage to her mind and it was something worth respect as she hadn't become a bat-shite insane from Dursley's treatment or lack thereof.

The topic of conversation changed to their experience in Diagon Alley. I found out that the girls had owl-mailed each other to meet up in Diagon Alley in the same day, which was also the day when the fraud Gilderoy Lockhart had been signing his book: the Magical Me. With exception of Holly, all the girls in the compartment were fallen for Lockhart's charm. I didn't know what that idiot had done to gain Holly's ire so much. I made another mental note to ask Wonky, the house-elf I'd tasked guarding the Girl Who Lived, about the shopping details later.

For the reason that the other girls were gushing about how charming, how handsome, how gallant . . . Yada-Yada-Yada . . . about Gilderoy Lockhart, Holly had lost interest in the conversation. Then, she shifted her sight in my direction. Her exasperated gaze immediately became cold as it laid on me.

I was taken aback by the sudden change in her attitude. The other also realized that fact. They alternated their gaze between me and the Girl Who Lived, right before their face spoke their realization and gazed at me coldly too. I needed a moment to think their reason and I remembered that I had apparently dished Holly's first proper birthday.

With a heavy sigh, I focused my attention on the Girl Who Lived. I put on a faint, strained smile as I gazed at her apologetically. "So, will you forgive me for forgetting your birthday?" I asked with a weak voice.

With a flawless 'Tsun-Tsun' (as the Japs called it), Holly folded her hands on her torso and then threw her face away from my sight. She didn't forget to harrumph too. Truly, I would conjure a board with 10/10 written on it for her perfect Tsun-Tsun action if the mood wasn't serious.

I swept my sight to the girls whom I found out were looking at me like I was a vermin. With the more strained smile, I asked, "Any good idea to help me earning Ms Potter's forgiveness, ladies?"

One-by-one, the girls shifted their gaze away from me and continued their conversation like nothing happened. They even treated me like I didn't exist. I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry at their response. It was too much for my unprotected mind!

Being dished is really painful!

Girls . . . I found out they had become the source of my trouble lately. I couldn't help wondering if turning off the calming effect of my Gamer's Mind was really a good idea. . .

* * *

 _Author's Humble Note:_ _ **  
**_ _\- I realized many people are quite depraved after I found out the outcome of the votes. Well, I should not have been surprised. . . but still . . ._ _ **  
**_ _\- Since many voted for the Female Malfoys to be something more than Dias' professional attendant. It means they will become . . . what? Concubines? Mistresses? Slaves? Not sure. However, I decided to tweak the outcome slightly. Since Narcissa was an adult, there won't be a problem to twist her character into blond-haired version of Bellatrix (with Dias as her target of her obsession) albeit a lot hornier. Meanwhile, Lyra would act like more calm and in-control Bellatrix with crazy and wild imagination behind her Occlumency's barrier._ **  
** _\- Unfortunately for you lots who wish for lemon, NSFW, or whatever the hell pornography is called in this site; there won't be any sex-scene, yet. At least, please wait until they reach their fourteens (Fifteen seems a bit longer for the pacing of the story) before you wish that to happen. I'm not comfortable to write an under-aged sex._ **  
** _\- Next time will be the sorting, how Dias will react to adorable and quirky Luna and what in the Merlin's twisted undies Lyra's mind is filled with, 'kay?_ **  
** _\- Thank you for your reviews and supports so far. The follower almost hit 4 digits in less than a month since this story was published. I'm DE-LIGHT-TED! THANK. YOU!_


	15. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (02)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

As the sky had turned dark and the stars were twinkling in the vast black sea, the crimson and black coloured Hogwarts Express finally arrived at the Hogsmeade Station. The passengers climbed down and my group had lagged behind to let the crowd thinning first. As expected, the first years were taken by the big and hairy Rubeus Hagrid to the Black Lake while the second years to seventh years were going in the different direction. The second years mostly followed their seniors to their new destination, a field packed with horse-less, horse-drawn carriages. Not all students could see the invisible skinny — almost skeleton like — horses with beady red eyes. However, I, Holly and Su could see the invisible horses easily.

"What are you looking for guy and gals?" Parvati inquired as she saw the direction of our sights.

Holly turned his sight in Parvati's direction and asked back, "Don't you see the weird horses pulling the carriages?"

Parvati and Padma shared a confused glance while Hermione seemed to realize what Holly had meant since she had read a copy of 'Hogwarts, the History'. It wouldn't be a surprise that the bushy-haired girl had read from the front to the back more than once.

Surprisingly, it was Su who explained to the confused Patil twins.

"Thesthral," the Asian witch began, taking the Patil twins' attention, "It can only be seen by those who have witnessed the death. I have my reason how I can see them and it's personal."

Su levelled me with reproaching gaze and I shifted my eyes from meeting her. It was only normal for her to be suspicious because she knew the fact that in last Christmas I couldn't see these bony horses. I then shook my hand, indicating that I'd tell her later. The Chinese Witch nodded her head, acknowledging my silent request.

The other girls could only stare at Su and me in bewilderment while Holly narrowed her eyes. Fortunately, the Girl Who Lived decided to put her suspicion aside and climbed up the wooden steps first, taking the lead for the others. The other girls followed their unofficial leader with me lagging behind to close the carriage's door.

We settled in the cramped space and waited until the carriage entered the Hogwarts' gate. In the meantime, the girls conversed anything caught their fancy with me as the observer as the usual.

Soon, we saw the two stone gargoyles guarding the gates as the carriage passed the Castle's gate. We waited for a moment until the carriage stopped and climbed downs the wooden steps one by one. Hermione, Parvati, Padma, Holly, Su and I took our turn one by one. Not too far after we climbed down the wooden steps of the carriage, we climbed up the stone steps of Castle's entrance and strolled leisurely in direction of the Hogwarts' Great Hall.

I immediately turned on my 'Gamer's Mind' because I didn't have a confidence to my maximum level 'Occlumency' skill. Just like my 'Legilimency' skill, the 'Occlumency' skill only had seven levels in total and even I reached the maximum level, someone accomplished in mind art like Headmaster Dumbledore or Professor Snape could still pick my surface thoughts with their experience. It was better safe than sorry.

Along the way, we met Professor McGonagall in the stone corridor and bowed our head to Professor McGonagall. Soon, we entered the Great Hall through the massive archway. The two heavy doors were opened wide to let us in unhindered. We immediately saw the innumerable candles hovering in midair over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars.

Hermione and Parvati walked in the direction of the Gryffindor's table in the far left from the heavy double-doors while Holly, Su, Padma and I proceeded forwards to our table between Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's tables. After we settled down with our year mates, greetings soon were exchanged.

Holly and I greeted back our year mates and those from the upper years curtly while Padma and Su greeted back politely. After the pleasantries were exchanged the students began to share their holiday; some were interesting while the others weren't so much. It was something for the sake of pleasantry.

After a while, the Great Hall's entrance doors were closed automatically, surprising the second years. The upper years immediately explained it was a sign that the new first years were arrived and would come soon. There were curiosity, expectation and indifference from everyone in the Great Hall. Soon, the great hall became quiet. Then, the double doors were opened and the queue of first years stepped in the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall in the front.

I spammed my 'Observation' skill to the first years; there were two students whom I had given my interest than the rest.

* * *

 **Luna Lovegood**

 **\- Race: Witch**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **\- Health: 80**

 **\- Willpower:** **200**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 8**

 **\- Agility: 7**

 **\- Mind: 28**

 **\- Magic 20**

 **Information: A pureblood witch and the first year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She has been traumatized by an accident in her childhood which has taken her mother's life. Although her mind is messed up, she's still a girl in the end. I hope you understand what I mean.**

* * *

 **Ginevra Weasley**

 **\- Level: 11**

 **\- Health: 90**

 **\- Willpower:** **180**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 9**

 **\- Agility: 9**

 **\- Mind: 12**

 **\- Magic: 18**

 **Information: A pureblood witch and the first year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is a tomboy because of growing up with six older brothers born before her and a total fangirl of the Girl Who Lived. She's a bisexual who has a dream to be Holly Potter's bride and it's not that surprising since she's Holly's diehard fangirl.**

* * *

My interest in the two eleven-year-old witches didn't hold any nefarious or untoward intention. I was basically curious about the young Lovegood. I found out this Luna Lovegood didn't have an extraordinary reason for her loony behaviour. It was basically the trauma after witnessing the death of her mother in her childhood.

Nevertheless, the girl had high a 'Mind' stat for someone so young. On the other hand, Ginevra Weasley had lost my interest the moment I found nothing suspicious about her, meaning she wasn't affected by Tom Riddle's Dairy and from that, I realized the Dairy wasn't in the possession of the sole daughter of the Weasley House.

Fortunately, I had turned on my 'Gamer's Mind' or my panic would become apparent. It was another reason that I needed to call my House-elves to find out Lucius Malfoy's whereabouts. I then held back my thoughts as Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers.

Every year, this aged old hat, patched, frayed, and dirty, sorted new students into the four Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin); we well remembered putting it on, exactly one year ago, and waiting, petrified, for its decision as it muttered aloud in our ears. Well, I was an exception because of my 'Gamer's Mind' skill that was broken enough to block the Hat's attempt to mind-rape me, even though the Hat was backed with the near limitless supply of power from the local leylines but I had ended up in Ravenclaw, along with Su, Padma and the most surprising case, Holly.

"Do you think someone will give us a surprise like Lustburg last year?" said Terry Boots out of the blue. The other second years of Ravenclaw House perked up.

"I don't think so," I shook my head. I knew that I was very special.

"You sure are confident, Lustburg," said Mandy Brocklehurst snidely.

"Let's wait and find out, shall we?"

With my taunt, the uppity young pureblood wizards and witches bristled but they couldn't do anything. They returned back to observe the sorting. There was no extraordinary sorting process like what had happened to me and Holly. However, my interest was tweaked when it was Luna Lovegood's turn.

The young witch was like how J.K. Rowling described her in the series: owning an ethereal beauty with her dreamy expression. Although she was only eleven years old at the moment, it was easy to realize she'd become a beauty in the future. After the hat dropped on Luna Lovegood's head, there was a short pause and the head giggled disturbingly. Then, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW," as I had expected.

The dreamy-eyed girl trotted to Ravenclaw table and sat down together with her year mates. I caught her year mates' discontent because her loony behaviour and found out the telltale sign of what is going to be a future bullying.

 _"Well, we can't have it, can't we?"_ I mused mentally.

However, it was for later since I felt someone had been observing me once I entered the Great Hall. The problem was the Great Hall was too crowded for me to narrow down this mysterious observer. I narrowed my eyes slightly as I guessed what the reason behind this sudden attention to me.

"What's it?" inquired Su suddenly, taking my attention from the mysterious observer, "You seem very tense all of sudden?"

I turned my sight to Su and shook my head dismissively. "Nothing," I began, "Nothing important. Anyway, let's continue to watch."

With a slight hesitation, Su nodded her head. She seemed unwilling to follow my words but conceded in the end. After that, we observed the sorting until it finished; we clapped when a new first-year sorted into our house.

In the meantime, my eyes wandered past the sorting to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. As usual, the aged wizard seemed jovial. I couldn't decipher what he was thinking. Using Legilimency seemed to be dangerous because he was master Occlumens. When I used my 'Observation' skill on him, I was pleasantly surprised because I finally could see his statistics. Surprisingly, his level was 50. His 'Strength' and 'Agility' were below 50 points but his 'Mind' was around 100 points and his 'Magic' was around 200 points.

"Weak. . ." I couldn't help murmuring faintly.

Several seats along, I saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine, flirting with two witches I realized to be Professor Vector, the Arithmancy Teacher, and Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy Teacher. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.

Surprisingly, Professor Snape looked deep in thought. I supposed his mind was elsewhere at the moment, namely Lucius Malfoy's mysterious disappearance. I didn't understand how close they were but I supposed they were close enough for Severus Snape to be named as Lyra Malfoy's godfather. I realized that there was more than Lucius Malfoy's disappearance if it made Professor Snape like that.

I spammed my 'Observation' on them and saw their statistics.

* * *

 **Albus Dumbledore**

 **\- Race: Wizard (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 50**

 **\- Health:** **530**

 **\- Willpower:** **2110**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 41**

 **\- Speed: 42**

 **\- Mind:** **121**

 **\- Magic:** **211**

 **Information: a half-blood wizard and current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly, he is also the Supreme Mugwumps and Magical Britain's Representative in International Confederation of Wizard. Hailed as the Paragon of light because of his kindness and benevolence, but beware not to be alone in the same room as him, or you ass's chastity is in mortal peril! Just look at his twinkling eyes, he has interest for you in that way!**

* * *

 **Filius Flitwick**

 **\- Race: Wizard/Goblin (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 38**

 **\- Health:** **520**

 **\- Willpower:** **1560**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 52**

 **\- Speed: 57**

 **\- Mind: 73**

 **\- Magic:** **156**

 **Information: a part-wizard, part-goblin who is the alumnus of Ravenclaw House and its current head, he is Charms Professor with an eccentric personality. Although he's short, don't take him lightly because his war mongering blood of goblins is very thick!**

* * *

 **Severus Snape**

 **\- Race: Wizard (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 36**

 **\- Health:** **490**

 **\- Willpower:** **1480**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 49**

 **\- Speed: 21**

 **\- Mind: 79**

 **\- Magic:** **148**

 **Information: a half-blood wizard and alumnus of Slytherin House, he is the Potion Professor as well as the Head of Slytherin House. Inactive Death Eater who hated noisy children with passion, and yet he worked as a Professor in a school full of children. Beware of him! He is very, very spiteful man.**

* * *

 **Pomona Sprout**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 37**

 **\- Health:** **450**

 **\- Willpower:** **1390**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 45**

 **\- Speed: 41**

 **\- Mind: 62**

 **\- Magic:** **139**

 **Information: a half-blood witch and alumnus of Hufflepuff House, she is the Herbology Professor as well as the Head of Hufflepuff House. She is akin to second mother figure to her charges because of her fairness, thoughtfulness and kindness as the head of her house. Be careful of being smothered by her! Don't forget to give her diet product as early Christmas present!**

* * *

 **Bathsheda Babbling**

 **\- Race: Witch (Half-blood)**

 **\- Level: 32**

 **\- Health:** **390**

 **\- Willpower:** **1200**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 39**

 **\- Speed: 42**

 **\- Mind: 75**

 **\- Magic:** **120**

 **Information: a half-blood witch and alumnus of Ravenclaw House, she is the Study of Ancient Runes Professor. A single witch who loves Ancient Runes so much, let's show her the bliss of having a man to accompany her!**

* * *

 **Septima Vector**

 **\- Race: Witch**

 **\- Level: 33**

 **\- Health:** **400**

 **\- Willpower:** **1240**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 40**

 **\- Speed: 42**

 **\- Mind: 78**

 **\- Magic:** **124**

 **Information: a pureblood witch and alumnus of Ravenclaw House, she is the Arithmancy Professor. She is a widower whose husband was killed in the previous war against Voldemort because of his muggleborn status. Give her company, my boy! She has been alone for such a long time!**

* * *

 **Aurora Sinistra**

 **\- Race: Witch**

 **\- Level: 32**

 **\- Health:** **320**

 **\- Willpower:** **1190**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 32**

 **\- Speed: 35**

 **\- Mind: 64**

 **\- Magic:** **119**

 **Information: a pureblood witch and alumnus of Slytherin House, she is the Astronomy Professor of Hogwarts. Look at that lovely figure — don't forget to drag her into a broom closet once before you graduate! Make papa proud, son!**

* * *

 **Rolanda Hooch**

 **\- Race: Witch**

 **\- Level: 35**

 **\- Health:** **400**

 **\- Willpower:** **1330**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 40**

 **\- Speed: 43**

 **\- Mind: 45**

 **\- Magic:** **133**

 **Information: a pureblood witch and alumnus of Gryffindor House, she is the Flying Instructor. She's a Quidditch fanatic. Don't let her babbling about Quidditch before you!**

* * *

 **Rubeus Hagrid**

 **\- Race: Wizard/Giant (Half-Blood)**

 **\- Level: 37**

 **\- Health:** **1500**

 **\- Willpower:** **700**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength:** **150**

 **\- Speed: 75**

 **\- Mind: 40**

 **\- Magic: 70**

 **Information: the gentle halfbreed of giant and wizard, his father was an insignificant wizard while his mother is the most vicious and dangerous giantess — Fridwulfa, he is the groundskeeper of Hogwarts after he was expulsed fifty years ago because someone had framed him. Speaking of which, how the heck his daddy did it with a freakin' female giant?**

* * *

 **Name: Gilderoy Lockhart**

 **\- Race: Wizard**

 **\- Level: 31**

 **\- Health:** **390**

 **\- Willpower:** **990**

 **Statistic Attributes:**

 **\- Strength: 39**

 **\- Speed: 35**

 **\- Mind: 47**

 **\- Magic: 99**

 **Information: a pureblood wizard and the current Defense Against the Dark Art Professor, he is a fraud who stole other accomplishments. Quite skilful in mind magic, mostly the Obliviator charm.**

* * *

Soon, the sorting finished and the feast began after Headmaster Dumbledore's opening speech. However, there was Lockhart who took over the Headmaster's speech when he was introduced. The self-centred narcissistic wizard began his spiel of what achievement he'd gotten from his fraudulence.

I didn't focus on Gilderoy's spiel like the majority of the female witches in the Great Hall because the mysterious observer still observing me subtly. I was curious who this person was and what was their reason behind this sudden attention to me.

—»O«—

Lyra Malfoy was a restless little witch. Since the end of her summer holiday, her world had been turned upside down by the bunch of house-elves.

She finally understood the truth of the world.

Those house-elves had opened her mother's and her eyes to the sole truth of the world that Asmodias Lustburg was the most magnificent, glorious and superb young wizard worth of their devotion, loyalty and love.

Considering what had happened to them after those house-elves had taken them into their secret base somewhere in Britain Island, it was normal for the pair of mother-daughter became a pair of batty witches. Of course, it was almost impossible to find out that something had fundamentally changed in them.

When they were apprehended by the house-elves, surprisingly, they were treated with full course of meals three times in a day and an eight hours resting time while the rest of the day was used as conditioning, indoctrination and brainwashing process; they were put in very dark room which made them couldn't see anything, not even their own bodies.

It was when they'd been confined in that dark room that the indoctrination process began and only ended after hours.

The content of the indoctrination was simple:

 _1\. Asmodias Lustburg is the most glorious, magnificent and extraordinary wizard in the world.  
2\. Asmodias Lustburg is the only one who suites to be the true King of the World.  
3\. Asmodias Lustburg will bring the golden age of magic in the future.  
4\. To serve Asmodias Lustburg is the biggest honour for them.  
5\. To be useful for Asmodias Lustburg is the true bliss.  
6\. Their person, resources and magic solely belong to Asmodias Lustburg.  
7\. Their life and death are belonging to Asmodias Lustburg alone._

To make the long story short, the brainwashing process proceeded smoothly. As the matter of fact, it was too smooth that made it very scary.

To devote themselves to Asmodias Lustburg, to be loyal only to Asmodias Lustburg and to love Asmodias Lustburg had become their reason to exist. They felt the urge and pull to be useful for the young wizard as though it was no different from their urge to consume Oxygen to live.

It had become their second nature.

They had realized that their meal which was given by the house-elves wasn't clean. There was something in it, her mother realized and stated. She had an idea what was inside the meal; Love and Loyalty potions.

Unfortunately for them, they could only eat it obediently or the house-elves would become crazy and their lives would be in mortal peril if they didn't follow the house-elves' demands. They feared death. They didn't want to die and could only follow the crazy house-elves' demands.

They also realized the fact that those house-elves had done something to them when they were asleep because the moment they woke up, they found the first person flashed in their mind was the young wizard in the question. Each time they woke up after their rest in the week they were confined in that room, their love, devotion and loyalty to Asmodias Lustburg became stronger, arriving at the fanatical level even.

Unfortunately, they couldn't tell anyone about those batty house-elves existence because it would implicate their beloved lord. Their body and mind reviled the notion of harming the oblivious young wizard post-their abduction.

"Lyra, are you really fine?"

Lyra returned back to the reality no sooner than the question finished. She turned her sight in the direction of the voice's origin and saw her right-hand, Daphne Greengrass. The moment her grey eyes were laid on the black-haired, green-eyed young witch, her mind tried to find a way how to convert her right hand into the devotee of 'Asmodian Cult'. Her mind also supplied her with Greengrass' connections as the spearhead of the traditionalist and the grey faction in Magical Britain's political battlefield. The Greengrass would become another useful supporter of her beloved.

" _No,"_ her mind reprimanded her, _"not yet. The time hasn't arrived yet."_

She remembered that the Heiress of the Greengrass House was waiting for her response.

"For the umpteenth time, Daph, I'm totally fine," Lyra finally replied with a clipped tone, shutting down any attempt of further inquiries from the Heiress Apparent of the Greengrass House.

Daphne's sight was focused on her for a moment, searching for something which ultimately couldn't be found out by the black-haired second-year Slytherin. She then returned back to her own business, namely nibbling her food prepared on the table.

Lyra eyed the Heiress of Greengrass House for a bit longer before she shifted her forlorn look to the Ravenclaw's table. She watched her beloved lord watching the merrymaking around him silently.

She couldn't help wishing to show how much she loves him. She wanted to relish in his presence closely, to be touched by him.

As much as Lyra Malfoy desired to be in Asmodias Lustburg's magnificent presence and to show how important the blue-eyed wizard in her heart, she wasn't ready.

Her family wasn't ready.

Barmy and those house-elves had stated very seriously they could only show their fanatical loyalty, bottomless devotion and unreasonable love to their sole Master after they sorted the Dark faction's problem and their financial first, so they could easily carry on any whim of their most glorious lord.

Fortunately for Lyra, her mother wasn't only a trophy wife of Malfoy House.

Narcissa Malfoy, _nee Black_ , was formerly the scion of Black House. She was very efficient in management and subterfuges and a witch that shouldn't be trifled with. Not by the common wizards in the Dark Faction.

To cut the long story short, it wasn't hard for Narcissa to regain the control over the Dark Faction with Malfoy and Black house's connections and finances. However, Narcissa still needed time until everything sorted orderly and in the meantime, they needed to restrain their desire to be close to their most glorious lord.

That was the main problem.

To distance themselves from the target of their obsession wasn't something easy. Lyra was painfully aware of that fact. Furthermore, her mother nightly activity which made her hear her disgusting throaty moans as Narcissa called their lord's most glorious name told her how unbearable it was for her mother; Narcissa Malfoy wasn't in far different condition than hers. As the matter of fact, it must be harder for the older witch who had tasted the forbidden fruit, so to speak.

Lyra relished the small mercy that she was still young and hadn't started her interest to male in a sexual way or she would end miserably like her mother. Besides, Lyra wished to present her virginity to her lord when the time comes, to show that her loyalty, devotion and love for him were the real deal.

Soon, the sorting feast ended and all students were herded to their dormitories by the Perfects. With a heavy heart and unwillingness hidden behind her arrogant, indifferent mask, Lyra followed her housemates with her clique surrounding her like loyal subordinates they were. She threw the last glance at her beloved Lord who was lagging behind with the Asian witch, Indian witch and the Girl Who Lived.

Witnessing her lord with other girl made her heart itching with pain and anger. Inwardly, she wondered how she could distance her Lord with those lesser beings for she was enough to serve him.

That's right. She, alone, was enough to serve her lord. Not an Asian witch, nor Indian witch, nor even the Girl Who Won't Die.

Now, what she'll do to realize her ambition? She needed to kick up the notch in her scheming, so to speak.

She was sorted into Slytherin for a reason after all . . .

* * *

 _Footnotes:_ _  
_ _Sorry for the late update guys. I've been busy IRL. Anyway, sorry I couldn't write the first interaction between Dias and Luna and how Dias will question his house-elves about the Malfoy. I think I'm going to write it in the next chapter. Well, nothing I want to share in this section beside I want to thank you for your support so far. The follower has reached 1k+ number and it's truly something else. It really made me happy. Thank you!_ _  
_ _Let's meet again in the next issue. See you later!_


	16. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (03)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

The feast finally came to an end, and the students were shepherded to each other dorms; Gryffindors to their tower, Hufflepuffs to their dungeon, Ravenclaws to their Tower and Slytherin to their dungeon. The four houses were separated after they came out of the Great Hall and followed their Perfects.

For once, I didn't walk together with my year mates, lagging behind with the new first years; more precisely I was walking next to Luna Lovegood. I ignored the inquisitive glances from everyone around me and greeted the dreamy-eyed young witch.

"Hullo, my name is Asmodias Lustburg. It's my pleasure to be in your presence, Ms Lovegood."

Lips curling into a dreamy smile, the sandy blond haired young witch eyed me with her dazed silver eyes for a moment. "The pleasure is mine, Asmodias Lustburg," She began, "Could you kindly tell me how you don't have any Wrackspurt invasion around you without the protection charm to ward off them?"

The corners of my lips were tugged upwards by the unseen force once I heard her question. "Warckspurt, is it? Pray tell me what is that? I never heard a magical creature called Warckspurt before," I replied with a faint mirthful voice.

As I waited for Luna's reply, I carefully assessed the young witch next to me. Surprisingly, she was different from Evanna Lynch who played as her in the movie adaptation series. As the matter of fact, Evanna Lynch couldn't fit the "ethereal beauty" part of the young Lovegood exactly.

"Really?" Luna finally replied. Then, she regarded me silently for a moment before she continued, "Oh, it only normal for you to be unaware of them because they are invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy. I thought I felt one zooming around in here."

I hummed faintly in acknowledgement. "Could you tell me how to ward off these Wrackspurts?"

"You only need to think positive thoughts to rid them off you," replied Luna.

"You seem quite knowledgeable about the exotic magical creature, Ms Lovegood," I praised the young witch with a friendly voice.

"Thank you," Lune thanked with a faint yet sincere smile on her face, "But you may call me 'Loony'. Ginny, my friend who was sorted into Gryffindor, has a big brother who called me 'Loony' Lovegood."

"Nah, I don't think I'll call you like that," I objected calmly, "How about Luna? I'll call you by your given name if you don't mind."

Luna's dreamy smile shifted into a sincere one for a split moment before it turned back into her dreamy smile. "I'll be delighted, Asmodias Lustburg."

"None of that Amsodias Lustburg . . . you may call me Dias like everyone else in our house," I paused for a moment before I whispered conspiratorially, "If there are other students from our house call you 'Loony,' tell me. I'm going to short them out quickly."

Luna regarded me silently. Her dreamy eyes were gone, and sharp querying look judged me silently. After a moment, she nodded her head with a blooming smile. "I'll be delighted Dias," said Luna.

I gave the younger girl a faint smile. "So, you seem to know more about the more exotic magical creature. Could you tell me about other magical creatures while we're walking to Ravenclaw's Tower?"

Luna nodded and said, "My pleasure!" Then, she made a contemplative, dreamy expression for a moment as she thought where she should begin. Finally, she began her explanation.

"There are Blibbering Humdinger, Aquavirius Maggot that looks like a brain, Dapperblimps and Exploding Snabberwitches that live in water and you can ask mermen to find them, a Gulping Plimpy that supposedly is a breed of Plimpy that is repelled by Gurdyroots, Heliopath which is a spirit of fire which is galloping and burning anything in its path and Nargle . . . be careful of Nargles because they are mischievous thieves that like infesting mistletoe. Wear a butterbeer cork necklace to ward them off. There's also a Crumple-Horned Snorkack . . . they are elusive magical creatures that live in Sweden—"

Luna began explaining her a rather long list of the imaginative creatures she and her father believed to exist. In the meantime, I listened to her explanation patiently with the patented "big brotherly smile" as Natasha called it or "fatherly smile" as Clara called it.

The incredulous looks we got from the eavesdroppers around us weren't lost to me but I easily ignored them.

They might think the young witch walking at my side had gone bonkers and I who was listening to her nonsense was also bonkers. In the end, however, I didn't care what they were thinking.

Soon, we arrived at the entrance of Ravenclaw's Tower and our talk was stopped and held back for another time. The Perfects explained to the first years about the riddle to enter the Ravenclaw's common room and they gave the first years example by answering the riddle.

After all, students entered the common room, the majority went to their dorms because of the exhaustion from the travel, leaving behind the Perfects and the first years in the common room.

Terry Boots and I went to our dormitory and entered the room for two. The moment we stepped in, I immediately hit the young pureblood wizard with compulsion charm to make him sleepy.

After Terry Boots told me he wanted to sleep early, the heir of House Boots dropped in his four-posters bed and fell asleep like a log.

It was finally the proverbial green light for me to start my plan for tonight.

"Barmy," I called my loyal house-elf to my side.

The beret-wearing house-elf appeared with a soft cracking sound. The sound didn't even stir Terry Boots even so slightest because how deep asleep the young pureblood wizard was.

"Sir, yes sir!"

Barmy saluted to me. I dismissed the house-elf's salute and asked him to take me into the hidden entrance of Room of Requirement.

A moment later, I was at the tapestry near the batty wizard with the obsession to teach troll, of all thing, to do ballet. I walked back and forth in the front the wall and thought a comfortable yet formal study room that I could use for my meeting. No sooner than when I finished what I'd done, the iron wall appeared on the formerly stone wall. I opened the door and stepped into the room. Barmy followed behind silently.

I checked the study silently. It was a spacious study with a heavy desk and a comfortable couch. There was a heavy bookshelf with old grimoire about esoteric magic Hogwarts had in her possession, taken from the forbidden are of Hogwarts' library and Headmaster's office subtly.

I sat down on the couch and stared at Barmy who was standing with his back straight.

"Barmy, have you heard the news about Lucius Malfoy's disappearance?" I asked the house-elf straightforwardly.

"Sir, yes sir!" Barmy replied at once.

I was surprised by his immediate answer. At my silent urging, the House-elves continued.

"We were the one who had executed the bad wizard, sir! The bad wizard tried to plan something evil that could endanger Master Lusty-Bug sir and Missy Pottery ma'am!"

I blinked my eyes, slightly surprised. I regarded the beret-wearing house-elves for a moment before I asked him a question.

"Where did you find out about this news?"

"Barmy heard it from Barmy's Wonky, Sir. Wonky had heard it from bad house-elf named Dobby who tried to harm Missy Pottery sir!"

I nodded my head slowly as I took in the report.

"What about Dobby? Where is he now?" I said in puzzlement.

"He had been put down for good by Barmy's Wonky, Sir! The bad house-elf is no more," said Barmy with a proud voice.

I nodded my head, acknowledging Barmy's report. I should have realized my house-elves wouldn't show any mercy to what-and-whoever endangers me or someone they were tasked to protect. It was the testament of how well-trained they were.

However, Dobby's death was a surprise. As bonker as that little thing was, he was still loyal house-elf and could be induced into my H.E.B.O.'s rank. Alas, what happens happened. There was no use for crying over spilt milk.

Dobby's death was also a miscalculation on my part. I'd forgotten that my House-elves wouldn't take kindly on any threat presented to me or those whom they were protected. Although I realized Dobby would disturb Holly's summer holiday, I didn't think far enough about the reaction of my House-elves.

I dismissed such unnecessary thoughts. What happened happens. Nothing could be changed.

"You all have erased anything that could connect you with this case, I hope," I said.

Barmy nodded his head quickly, making his crooked beret even more crooked.

I felt relieved at his confirmation. I didn't think to ask how they had done it wasn't important. I had my faint in my well trained House-elves. They knew what to do with their growing knowledge. It wasn't like they would do something that would harm me because their loyalty and devotion were on me.

"Did you do something else . . . like liberating House Malfoy's secret stash?" I inquired.

Barmy nodded his head quickly and the beret he wore slipped down from his head. He quickly put back the beret.

"Did you take the dark artefacts in House Malfoy's manor?"

Another nod.

"You took everything?"

Another nod.

I sighed in relief. "Did you see a black journal with 'Tom Riddle' name written on the faded black leather cover?" I asked.

This time, Barmy made a face that conveyed his disgruntlement. "Yes, sir! Does Master Lusty-Bug sir need the foul artefact?" He inquired.

I nodded my head in agreement. "Bring the book here as quickly as possible. That book is one of Lord Voldemort's soul anchors. It's better if I store it in safe place personally," I explained calmly.

Barmy gasped when he heard my explanation. All house-elves hated Lord Voldemort because the endless bloodshed he'd caused in the war a decade ago. As the matter of fact, house-elves hated Dark Lord or Dark Lady in general because when there was a rising Dark Lord or Dark Lady, many magical families would become extinct. It made the magical house to serve became less, meaning less work for the house-elves to bond and serve.

"At once, sir!" Barmy saluted. Then, he flicked his finger with a loud snapping sound and the journal in question dropped on the empty surface of the heavy desk.

I used my 'Observation' skill to check the authenticity of the diary.

* * *

 **Name: Tom Riddle's Diary**

 **Rank: Unique**

 **Durability: ?**

 **Information: an enchanted journal of Tom Riddle. It has become unbreakable after it's turned into a Horcrux.**

* * *

After I found it was authentic, I stored the diary away in my 'Inventory', storing it together with other Horcruxes I have collected so far. With this, the remaining Horcrux was the Hufflepuff's cup and House Gaunt's Ring. Those two would be dealt for another time.

"Now, you may return back to your activity and call Wonky to see me," I dismissed the house-elf since my business with Barmy had been finished.

After he said, "Sir, yes sir," he disappeared with a faint cracking sound. A moment later, Wonky appeared where Barmy once stood.

"Does Master Lusty-bug sir need Wonky?" asked the female house-elf.

Since I'd listened to Barmy's report about the whole Dobby fiasco, I felt it was inane and not efficient to ask Wonky about the former bonker House-elf of Malfoy House. I had other reason for calling Wonky in my presence.

"Wonky, tell me about what happened in Holly's summer until yesterday night," I instructed the house-elf.

Wonky began spinning the tale about what happened in Holly's holiday. She also mentioned about Dobby's appearance and how she dealt the bonker house-elf efficiently. I would flinch at the brutality of the female house-elf if it wasn't for my 'Gamer's Mind'.

Finally, Wonky reported what had transpired in Diagon Alley.

"The annoying wizard was being grabby with Missy Pottery ma'am. Wonky has pranked him badly, making him slipped on the floor until his head slammed the floor hard! It is shame the annoying wizard is the new teacher in Hogwarts. If not, Wonky would make the fall very hard that it would break his neck," complained Wonky in consternation.

I mulled the idea involving the blond-haired fraud. I hadn't gotten the timetable but I guessed his class wouldn't start straight away on the first day, meaning I wouldn't deal with his tomfoolery soon. Nevertheless, I realized Lockhart was quite a dangerous fellow because of his passable skill in memory magic, mostly the Obliviator charm.

" _Getting him kicked out soon will help me in a long way. His self-centred and narcissistic attitude will affect Holly's progress badly. As the matter of fact, it can create a seed of disgust to male professors in Holly's heart. I don't know if he will step lowly into sinking his detestable wand into a mere twelve-year-old but it's better than sorry, I guess,"_ I thought.

"Wonky," I called the silent house-elf after I made a plan in my mind, "Make one of your brothers or sisters to watch Gilderoy Lockhart. If they find the fraud having sex with a student, they immediately must inform Dumble . . . no, make it to McGonagall. I don't know what's in Dumbledore mind. He's dangerous and must be left aside for a moment until I personally do something to him. Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Wonky saluted.

"You may go back to your task," I dismissed the female house-elf. No sooner than the end of my dismissal, the house-elf disappeared with a faint cracking sound.

I was alone in the Room of Requirement and decided to find a good book from the massive bookshelf in the room. After searching for a while, I found a book about Alchemy. It was most likely Dumbledore's book. The moment I saw it, I remembered the Philosopher Stone I had stolen last year. I then took the book from the shelf before I returned back to the lavish couch. I sat down and put the book on the desk in front of me. I then took the Philosopher Stone out of my 'Inventory' and watched the blood red gem in puzzlement.

As the matter of fact, I didn't know how to use this stone. I guessed that I needed Alchemical ritual in conjunction with the stone. Perhaps, using the stone as the main reagent or the core component of the alchemic transmutation process? I had started the study of alchemy but the level of my Alchemy skill was quite low.

It was when I decided to increase my knowledge of Alchemy, as well as the level of my Alchemy skill, so I could utilize the stone. Perhaps, I could find out a way to recover its durability or even created my own version of Philosopher Stone.

Ding!

My attention was taken away from the stone in my hand suddenly by the familiar voice in my head. I shifted my sight to the recently popped out screen in front of my face.

* * *

 **Quest Alert!**

 **Become Alchemy Meister!**

 **\- Increase Alchemy skill's level to maximum level**

 **\- Find a way to recover durability of Philosopher Stone**

 **Extra Objective: ?**

 **Reward(s): 500Exp, ?, ?**

 **Extra Objective's Reward(s): 500Exp, ?**

 **Penalty: None**

 **Do you accept this quest? (Yes/No)**

* * *

I chose 'Yes' before I dismissed the screen. Then, I stored back the Philosopher Stone into my 'Inventory' and began studying Alchemy earnestly.

—»O«—

Three days passed rather quickly and finally, the 'Defense Against the Dark Art' class together with Hufflepuff began. I was sitting in the back row with Holly and Su flanking me on my right and left respectively. I had heard what happened in Gryffindor-Slytherin joint class a few days ago and it just happened like in the series; a group of Cornish Pixies were creating a chaos and subsequently stopped by Hermione with her freezing spell.

I watched the class interior with open disdain, which was shared by Holly and Su at my sides. Padma who was fallen in Lockhart's charm was sitting in front with Mandy Brocklehurst and Lisa Turpin.

After the whole class had settled on their seats, Gilderoy Lockhart stepped in the class from the separated room connected with the class via a door. He reached forward, picked up Padma Patil's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award — but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start — now!"

Su, Holly and I looked down at our paper and made a WTF expression. Su then read the content with a soft voice that conveyed her incredulity:

 _1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?_ _ **  
**_ _2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_ _ **  
**_ _3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

 _54\. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?_

The three of us stared each other in the eyes, silently wondering what we were going to do. After a short pause, I whispered to them, "Fill with anything caught your fancy."

"Like what?" asked Su, her thin curved brows rising slightly in confusion.

Holly mirrored her roommate's expression.

I alternated my sight on them for a moment. "For example," I started, "The answer for the first question is colour of vomit; taking over the world with a bunch of crazy house-elves as the second question's answer and being the biggest fraud in Magical Europe's history as the third question's answer."

Su and Holly faintly snorted in an unladylike manner as they listened to my idea. Nevertheless, it had become the unofficial guide for us. We competed to fill Lockhart's quizzes with the ridiculous answer popped out in our mind.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut — hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully — I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples — though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Su and Holly were now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Terry Boots and Anthony Goldstein, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. The other girls in the front row, on the other hand, were listening to Lockhart with rapt attention.

". . . At least, Miss Brocklehurst knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions — good girl! In fact" — he flipped her paper over — "full marks! Where is Miss Mandy Brocklehurst?"

Mandy who was sitting in the front row next to Padma raised a trembling hand, marking her excitement.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! There was another young lovable second-year witch from Gryffindor who also scored perfectly three days ago. Take ten points for Ravenclaw! And so — to business —"

Surprisingly, the narcissistic peacock in human form had realized the danger of Cornish Pixies after the fiasco in his first class and wasn't prone to recreate the incident in his current class. However, he decided to re-create one of the scenes from his book; it was about how he wrestled with Werewolf.

A poor Hufflepuff named Wayne Hopkins had got the honour to play the werewolf part for the play. I pitied the boy as Lockhart straddled the poor boy on the floor in a very ambiguous position that would spike up Dumbledore's old amorous flame. Most of the young wizards who realized their position had trembling shoulders as they held back their laughter.

Speaking of the Hufflepuff boy, he tapped the floor as his face slowly became sickly pale green.

In the end, the boy fell unconscious and the class was cut short because Lockhart needed to take Wayne Hopkins to Madam Pomfrey's infirmary.

Since there was a dozen of minutes to spare until the next class, Professor Flitwick's Charms with Slytherin, we (Holly, Su and I while Padma left behind to gossip on Lockhart's charm with other female students) decided to have a stroll in the castle.

A several minutes later, we met the Slytherin first year in the corridor; they had finished their Transfiguration class with Gryffindor. Both Su and Holly tensed as they saw the Slytherins getting closer. I softly grabbed their shoulders to calm them down.

"Well, well, well, who are these? Isn't this Potter and her little boyfriend and Asian pet?"

A boy with black hair and insolent face stopped in front of us. His face showed arrogant sneer as he stared down at us.

Standing slightly behind the boy were two stupid looking brutes, one with black hair slicked his right side, big nose and dark eyes while the other has dark brown hair with brown eyes and chubby face.

They were Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

As they stopped, the other Slytherins behind also stopped. They showed their famous united front, trying to intimidate us.

Both Holly and Su seemed fallen into their intimidation tactic but I was far from being intimidated. As the matter of fact, I found them to be cute children.

It was impossible to intimidate me. Besides I had mingled with the scary vampires last summer, my 'Gamer's Mind' skill wouldn't let me be intimidated easily.

However, it was Nott's next words that spiked my annoyance.

"Well, how about ditching your mudblood boy toy, and let us, the real wizards, educate you how to be a good witch who knows your place, Potter?" said Nott while wiggling his thick brows.

The insinuation behind his action wasn't lost to the witches of Slytherin or the two Ravenclaws in the vicinity. Disdain and disgust flickered in the green-themed witches' eyes for a split second as they shifted their sight in Nott's direction.

I wasn't really surprised with how a mere twelve-year-old knew about adult stuff like that.

Knowing what kind of human-shaped, immoral beasts the senior Death Eater was, I had expected the fools would train their male spawns as perfect little Death Eater since their spawns' childhood. Furthermore, Nott Sr was quite fanatic Death Eater and quite twisted individual. He wasn't on Lestrages' level, but he was still one of the unstable members, unlike Lucius or Snape.

I made a mental note to ask my House-elves to deal with these unstable members of Dog Lord's merry band of rapist and murder. However, it was for later since I'd digressed long enough.

Meanwhile, Su's and Holly's expression showed their outrage because the detestable word Nott had used to call me. Added in what Nott had insinuated, it was plain to see how outraged they were. They even leaked strong bloodlust that my Bloodlust Detection skill caught easily.

However, the most surprising was they weren't the only witches who leaked dangerous bloodlust. There was one who toppled their bloodlust and it came from the Slytherin's group.

My eyes subtly searched the source of the strongest bloodlust and found the source was no other than Lyra Malfoy. My brows were quirked up in confusion at that. Why in the world the Malfoy's princess became angry just because I was insulted by Nott? This was really suspicious.

However, I put aside that trivial thought. As much as I was curious about Lyra's out of character mannerism, I must teach Nott that he shouldn't have messed with me.

Personally, I didn't care what the Death Eater in training had done. However, I must take control of this accident before everything went FUBAR.

I stared at Nott with calm eyes and said, "Really, Nott. It's rather inelegant for so-called pureblood to start spewing profanity in the open, no? Perhaps, you were never taught by your father? Oh, I forget. Your father must have been impaired because excessive imperious he got from his dear Dog Lord, isn't he?"

Many young wizards and witches, even Holly and Su, inhaled sharply at my words; Holly's and Su's anger had been left forgotten because of my audacity in insulting Lord Voldemort openly.

"You damned Mudblood!" Nott began; his face contorted into an ugly snarl, "How dare you besmirching the Dark Lord's name! Know your place you filthy Mudblood! Crabbe, Goyle, show this Mudblood his proper place!"

Crabbe cracked his neck while Goyle cracked his fingers as they tried to intimidate me. However, they did a piss poor performance.

Both Su and Holly tried to take out their wands to assist me in the soon to be a brawl but I stopped them by touching their shoulder.

They sent indignant looks to me which I ignored easily. My eyes calmly watched the two little troll getting closer. The tension spiked in the corridor.

 _"Now, how shall I teach them not to pick enemy randomly? Oh, there are too many ways to end this . . . think, what kind of style I need to use to deal with them."_

* * *

 _Footnote:_ _ **  
**_ _Another chapter has finished! I hope you like this one, albeit it wasn't that much. Anyway, do forgive me for the bad grammar and some typos if you find out in my story. English isn't my native language after all. Other than that, you can find the update schedule of my stories in my profile._ _ **  
**_ _See you again in the next issue ~_


	17. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (04)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

The tension became palpable; the corridor turned silent and the cracking sound of bones from the piss-poor intimidation shown by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle echoed in the crowded corridor.

It was around a dozen of the second year Slytherins against three second-year Ravenclaws. Number wise, it was obvious which side had upper hand.

Both Holly Potter and Su Li readied themselves for confrontation; their knuckle turned white under their black school robes. They were ready to move when the sole male Ravenclaw student needed their help.

However, Holly and Su weren't the only students who tensed as the two troll-ish Slytherins second years closed the gap between themselves and their target. Lyra Malfoy also tensed her body unconsciously in anxiety. Her grey eyes narrowed into slits and her lips pressed into a thin line. In the sea of the second year Slytherins whose feelings were split into silent excitement, morbid expectation and disdainful indifference for what would happen, Lyra was the sole Slytherin who felt worried for the sole male Ravenclaw — Asmodias Lustburg.

The boy who was always showing calm countenance was something very important for Lyra. He was her Lord, her love and her center of the universe. However, she restrained her impulse to help her Lord because she understood what would happen if she helped him now.

She would break one of Slytherin's iron-clad rules — the United Front.

Although Slytherin's dungeon was a den of vipers where treachery, scheming and backstabbing became breakfast, lunch, and dinner respectively, all Slytherin must show the united front before other houses in Hogwarts. Even though the one in the wrong was their housemates, it was irrelevant. The others must support the one in the fault. When they returned back to their dungeon, it was another matter altogether.

Because Slytherin had been alienated by basically the other houses, they needed to keep the united front façade. It was mostly the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuff that singled them out while Ravenclaw stayed neutral so far. Nevertheless, it was still two versus one and Slytherin needed to unite together to ward off the straightforward harassment from the Lions while, sometimes, the Badgers would join in.

And because of the said 'United Front' rule, she couldn't help her Lord even though her every cell in her body demanded her to do something.

Lyra cursed Nott for the nth time in her head. It was the fool fault everything started in the first place; the vermin had dared to call her Lord with such degrading name — Mudblood. Oh, how outraged she was deep down yet she forcefully controlled her temper. The boy was lacking the subtlety Slytherin was known of. He also let his temper control him blindly the moment her Lord cursed the Dark Lord and the boy's father. Well, she had been amused and felt morbid fascination when she heard how her Lord subtly insulted the Dark Lord and Nott Sr.

From her dead father, Lyra was aware that Dark Lord was supposedly still alive and biding his time for his return. This small fact slightly worried her for her Lord's safety before her faith and trust in her Lord's ability that even Dark Lord Voldemort was nothing before his magnificence. The logical part of her realized how highly unlikely it was yet she still believed her Lord could triumph against the Dark Lord when he was returned.

It showed how deep her faith in him; it showed how unreasonable she had become because of what had happened at the end of the previous summer.

Behind the frozen emotionless expression, Lyra prayed to the magic herself that her beloved Lord wouldn't be harmed. A part of her felt silly because her inner reaction was basically no different than assuming her Lord was weak. Don't mistake her concern to her Lord for a wrong assumption. Her faith in her Lord was absolute and as the 'chosen one' her Lord wasn't in any danger whatsoever. Nevertheless, the instinctive worry as a maiden in love for her beloved was something she couldn't put aside easily.

When Crabbe and Gregory arrived halfway to Asmodias' position, the blue eyes boy finally opened his mouth.

"Well, it's flattering really," he started with a laidback voice, earning confused expression from others, even his two friends. Then, his still expression shifted, showing a chilling smile that gave a shudder to the Slytherins who were standing in front of him, "However, I'm straight. So, I don't think I can accompany you, gents." — He shifted his gaze from Crabbe to Goyle, still staring right at their eyes, "Maybe, you two should be more honest with your feeling? I'm sure if you two do it straightforwardly, the object of your fascination will understand your repressed feeling. Don't hesitate, gents. Release your repressed feelings and make everyone as your witness."

Everyone showed an incredulous expression, showing their confusion from Asmodias' words. They couldn't understand what the young male Ravenclaw had meant by that. No little amount of Slytherin students stared at him as though he had lost his marble. Yet, his laidback smile stayed on his face; his deep, unfathomable gaze that looked like deep-ocean was unflinching as he gazed at the two troll-ish Slytherin second years alternately.

Much to everyone surprise and incomprehension, Crabbe and Goyle spun around and turned their sight in Theodore Nott's direction. Nott wasn't the only one; the other Slytherins, even Lyra, were taken aback by the steely determination in their blazing eyes. They then dashed in Nott's direction twice faster than when they walked to Asmodias earlier.

"What are you—"

Theodore Nott couldn't finish his question because both Crabbe and Goyle had tackled the Heir of Nott House into the floor. What happened next rendered everyone, but Asmodias, speechless.

The two troll-ish boys were pushing each other face with one hand while their other hands were pinning down Theodore Nott's smaller body on the floor. The ridiculous matter was how they were competing to kiss Theodore Nott's face.

Confused and terrified, Theodore Nott couldn't only shout helplessly as he was being pinned down by the two brutes.

"Wha — what in the bloody hell," Nott shouted loudly, his voice projecting his panic, "You two — morons — what are you doing! Dimwits! Unhand me now! Someone! Get these fools away from me! Quick!"

No one reacted at Nott's panicked shout for the majority of Slytherin was trying to comprehend what was transpiring before them.

At that moment, Lyra's eyes caught her Lord grabbing the Girl-Who-Is-Too-Stubborn-To-Die and her Asian-breed little bitch and dragging them away from. Although Lyra was angry because the two lesser beings sullied her Lord's magnificence with their mangy presence, her mind could connect the dots. She realized the odd actions of Crabbe and Goyle was her beloved Lord's doing.

As expected of her beloved Lord. Even though she didn't know how he had done it, it was clear her Lord was truly unfathomable as he was magnificent.

" _Bloody frikin'_ hell! Help me! Guys, pull these two oafs from me!"

As if the spell that bewitched the gobsmacked Slytherin had been lifted, they immediately reacted to Theodore Nott's plea for help. The boys immediately tried to pry off the troll-ish boy from Nott's body while the girls were either finding the scene fascinating or disturbed by what they saw.

Only Lyra who focused her attention on another thing, namely her Lord's retreating back.

She found her beloved Lord was truly unfathomable and mysterious. She couldn't help being drawn to his mysteriousness even more.

— **»O«—**

"So, what have you done to those two brutes earlier?" asked Holly, shattering the awkward silence after we left the Slytherin group.

I turned my sight in her direction and cocked up my brows in bemusement.

Holly stopped abruptly, making Su and I stopped as well and narrowed her eyes as she waited for my answer.

"Magic," I replied easily.

Holly's brows knitted together and her forehead wrinkled slightly, showing off her exasperation at my flippant answer.

"I know it was magic — what else if it wasn't a magic," Holly replied and made a face that spelled her annoyance, "What kind of magic is that?"

Su who had been silent with a pensive expression shifted her obsidian-colored eyes into my direction, her gaze telling her not so subtle expectation.

I contemplated my options for a moment, silently thinking what I'd do. I could tell them what I'd done to the two brutes of the second year Slytherin or I could keep it as secret.

The trick I'd done was something simple yet complex. It was a mix of compulsion and Legilimency. The latter was well known as the magical art to enter one's mind and interpret the information gained from another person's mind but what I used was only its usage to enter one's mind. Meanwhile, the former was like its namesake that forced other to do something. It was also known as hypnotism and suggestion.

First, I used Legilimency to breach the miserable excuse of Occlumency shield (it actually felt like there was nothing there because how bad they were) in the mind of the two troll-ish Slytherins and then plant the suggestion in their subconscious.

There was the difference between simply using compulsion and planting the suggestion directly at the subconscious level. By utilizing the normal way, compulsion charms had a higher risk to be rejected by the mind of the target. Someone who knew well about oneself or always followed cold pragmatic logic would easily shrug the suggestion. On the other hand, planting the compulsion directly in one's subconscious would make it natural to the target, as though it was his repressed desire the target had been holding back.

For a complex thing like mind or soul of a person, a subtlety was a better option than the straightforward move. One could be forced to do something by coercion, threat, blackmail, etc but it wouldn't be what that one truly wished. On the other hand, a person doing something on their own would produce the better result because it was done in earnest.

"So?" Holly persuaded with a simple question, taking my mind back to the reality.

"It was honestly a bit of hypnotism," I finally answered.

"A Compulsion Charm, wasn't it?" inquired Su curiously.

I nodded at my Asian witch friend.

The girls became pensive after that and we continued trotting to our next class. The girls didn't ask another question after that as they were deep in thought. I didn't have any interest in what they were thinking in their pretty little head. As the matter of fact, I didn't want to know what inside their heads was. My hunch told me it was better to stay away as far as possible from the subject.

Soon, we entered the classroom. Later, the Slytherins entered the classroom, being followed by other Ravenclaws slightly behind them.

I could feel the curious and contemplative eyes from the majority of the Slytherins, bar Lyra and Nott; the former stared at me with undecipherable look while the later was glaring at me with a murderous look. I easily ignored their looks and waited for the class to start patiently.

Several hours later, the last class of the day finally finished; it was History of Magic together with Gryffindor taught by a literal ghost Professor. Holly, Su and I were lagging behind, walking just behind the Patil Twins and Hermione. The Girl Who Lived and the Asian witch were trying their best to look at anything but me; my blue eyes were twinkling mirthfully at their manner, much to their silent chagrin. Although I couldn't see their face, I could imagine the mortification in their eyes.

In the class earlier, those two had fallen asleep from the middle of the lecture until the end. When they had woken up from their nap, they realized I'd been staring at their sleeping face. It couldn't be helped since their sleeping face was just very cute. The girls' pale face immediately flushed red in embarrassment and mortification, the blush more apparent on Su's case since her skin was paler than Holly's because of her ancestry.

Soon, we entered the Great Hall and took our seat in the Ravenclaw's table; Hermione and Parvati joined us because there was no rule to forbid the students of other houses sitting in our house's table outside sorting feast and end closing feast at the end of the year. I had invited Luna to join our small little group and the girl's quirk began to drive Hermione on the wall for my amusement.

Speaking of Luna, it was apparent that her year mate began alienating her because of her quirk. However, I'd tried my best to ward off any bullying attempt much to the bully's chagrin and Luna's silent gratitude. There was also Ginevra Weasley and Colin Creevy joined our small group much to Holly's annoyance; Ginny was still a fangirl in this reality and I found out she was bisexual; Colin was still annoying little bugger who didn't understand the importance of one's privacy, driving Holly into the wall like how Luna for Hermione.

The dinner finally came to an end and we returned back to our dorm. After we have a study group to finish our homework (a dormwork in this case, I supposed), we excused ourselves to our room. No sooner than Terry Boots fell asleep soundly, I asked one of my house-elves to take me into Mina's house in Yorkshire.

"Welcome home, Husband," greeted the vampire princess in fluent American English the moment I appeared in her living room with Corny the House-elf next to me.

If not for my Gamer's Mind, Mina's greeting would make me chagrined.

The seventh vampire princess wore a tank top that accentuated her A-cup breasts and a pair of hot pants that showed her pale, healthy thighs. She let her platinum blond hair cascading freely on her back. Her crimson eyes were twinkling with happiness when she saw me appeared; she stopped what she had been doing to properly greet me.

I dismissed Corny as Mina rose from her seat, putting down a thick leather bound book on the table, and walked in my direction (I swore that the little imp gave me a thumb up before he disappeared back to wherever he'd come from but it was just my imagination, was it?). I gave her a small nod, acknowledging her greeting; she smiled faintly at that, happy for her greeting had been acknowledged.

I realized Mina honestly tried her best to be a good fiancée to me, and I respected the effort she had put on it. The sole reason why I couldn't accept our encampment openly was that of her nature of the engagement in the first place; I was coerced into the engagement by the Vlad III _bloody_ _fuckin'_ Tepes.

Mina grabbed my left hand with her two cold hands and brought me to the quality sofa. I let her drag me silently. I realized that the Vampire Ancestor was still slightly taller than even though she didn't wear high heels like she mostly did in Tepes Council's castle. After we settled ourselves in the quality sofa, the young looking vampire princess cuddled on me, disregarding my personal space. She had an idea that there was no personal space between us because of our engagement.

Mina inhaled deeply. "Oh my, you smell virgin girls," Mina stated as she pushed her cold face on my neck. "Should I feel threatened because my future husband cheating behind my back when his fiancée was obediently waiting for him home?"

"They are only my acquaintance," I said that reflexively.

"No need to worry, husband. I'm not angry," Mina shifted her position from leaning at my side to boldly sitting on my laps; her face floated in front of mine closely until I could feel her faint cold breathe; her smooth, cold like corpse hands touched my cheeks and her thumb traced a circle on my skin slowly, "Father and my elder brothers have more than one mates. I don't mind if you practice polygamy yourself. Just don't ignore me."

My calm expression contorted slightly into a bemusement expression as I let my emotion projected out before it was smothered by my 'Gamer's Mind'. "I'm still twelve. It's too early to think about that stuff," I pointed.

"I'm young too yet I don't think it's early to plan for our future," Mina demurred softly.

"You're nineteen years old, already an adult in my eyes."

Although Mina looked like a pubescent, she was actually older than me by seven years. Her pubescent age was when Vlad Tepes turned her into a vampire. She could grow but it would be a slow process. As the matter of fact, it would be very slow with the growth difference between human and vampire equal to 1:100 year scale.

She was lucky she could grow up physically because of her Vampire Ancestor status. If she was turned into Vampire noble, it would be 1:1000 in scale difference. If she was turned into a Lesser Vampire, she would stay like that forever.

"In yours, it is. In my father's and elder siblings', I'm no older than an infant," Mina pointed out calmly. Her cherry blossom colored lips stretched into a mirthful grin, showing her cute fangs.

I didn't retort back because she wasn't wrong. There was a short pause before Mina opened her mouth and said, "Could I eat you? I haven't eaten yet."

"Why?" I asked shortly, feeling a faint curiosity before it was smothered by the unnatural soothing.

"I'm waiting for you," she replied at once.

"What if I didn't visit you tonight?"

"My intuition as a lady told me that my husband would visit me. After all, you still care me even though we are from different race, no?"

I said nothing. I then silently loosened my shirt's collar and turned off 'Gamer's Body' skill. Mina would get nothing if I didn't turn it off even if she tried her best to make me bleed. When I showed my tender neck, the vampire princess grinned widely, showing off her fangs; her red eyes twinkled in her excitement.

Mina sneaked her deceptively thin arms to my back from the gaps below of my armpits before she leaned her body forward until her front pressed on my chest and her thighs clamped mine. I could feel the softness of her feminine front part vividly. "Bon appetite," whispered Mina. She then quickly closed the gap between her face and my neck and opened her mouth widely.

A moment later, I could feel her fangs pierced my skin and stabbed into my left carotid artery. I didn't feel pain from it. It felt like pinprick before the pain disappeared soon thereafter. The moment her fangs sunk into my neck, I could feel she injected something into my bloodstream; a notice appeared in front of my face.

* * *

 **Vampire's Saliva has been injected into your bloodstream.**

* * *

 **Since Vampire's Saliva contained strong Aphrodisiac, you have been infected by Lustful Status Effect.**

* * *

 **You have been infected by Low-Bleeding Status Effect.**

* * *

I felt the heat of passion spreading inside my chest, reaching every cell that constructed me, and a certain part of my body stiffening slowly from the aphrodisiacal saliva's effect. With the help of my 'Gamer's Mind', I could easily maintain my calmness even though there was a ridiculous status effect infected me. Nevertheless, my body betrayed my calmness.

As Mina felt my certain part had stiffened from the influx of hormone, she began grinding her hips slowly. Her movement was that of a temptress tempting her target but I held back my natural body reaction. Because of her sudden movement, I instinctively grabbed her thin waist yet I didn't stop her. I could hear her muffled moan and feel her rumbling chest from the potent magical blood she had sucked from my neck.

Mina started gulping my blood down her throat while I kept my eyes trained on my Health bar in my HUD as I stroked her silky pale blond hair. With each mouthful blood, she took, my Health decreased by 10 points. She continued to suck my blood and gulp down a mouthful of my blood for a while. She finally slowed down after my health decreased by 200 Points.

200 points were nothing compared to my full Health. As a matter of fact, Mina would suck my blood until my Health decreased by at most minimum 500 points.

Speaking of this feeding occurrence, it was started a day after she moved into my Orphanage's neighborhood in Yorkshire. Once vampire princess tasted my magical blood, she became addicted to it because the potency of my magic in it and she would have a withdrawal symptom when she didn't consume my blood after three days. The first time she experienced her withdrawal, she was like a maddened beast that was hungry for blood yet all blood she stashed in her refrigerator couldn't sate her bloodlust; her eyes were bloodshot and veins were bulging in strain. It was because I'd left one house-elf to watch her that I could arrive sooner before she could suck out the blood of all living beings in the neighborhood.

At first, I feed her for the sake of my curiosity. It was for science, I reasoned. Since I had high Health and higher statistics than Mina's, I didn't feel any threat from feeding her my blood. It was my mere whim to find out how the feeling of being sucked by a vampire that bound her to me.

After I found out the young vampire princess had become addicted to my blood, however, I realized I finally had a leverage on her when I would pay back the humiliation Vlad Tepes had forced me to bear when the Romanian Vampire Ancestor tried to control me through my forced engagement with Mina.

Although it wasn't spoken out loudly, Mina couldn't help following me loyally once she had become addicted to my blood. If she was forced to choose between Tepes Council and me, her choice was clear; she would follow me because of my blood. She didn't want to lose her sanity for the second time; once was enough as she stated. It made her afraid, she said. Then again, she was a mere youngling compared to other older vampire and she had never fallen into blood-frenzy because she never lacked her blood supply.

She was pampered since she had been turned into a vampire.

It was like I'd drugged her and she must follow me loyally to get her dosage, though it was accidental in this case. Nevertheless, I welcomed this surprise because it gave me advantage.

Other than that, feeding the young Vampire Ancestor my blood also started my puberty early because of Mina's aphrodisiacal saliva that forced my body to produce the more sexual hormone. Fortunately, there was no adverse effect. As a matter of fact, a boy's start of puberty was at nine years old at the earliest. Although the majority of the male second years at Hogwarts hadn't started their puberty, I started my puberty — artificially it might be — at age twelve was something normal. At least, I supposed it was.

Mina finally stopped sucking my blood; she carefully pulled her fangs from my neck and sealed the twin punctures, licking them slowly. She didn't need to lick it slowly but it was just her being caught in the mood of her own making. She could easily seal the punctures without licking them by hardening the blood in the punctures, utilizing her blood-based magic. After that, she moved her face in front of mine; I found her face was flushing red. She looked no different than any normal human as her vampiric blood circulated in her body, propelled by my blood she'd consumed. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused. A pair of thin trails of blood was leaking from the corners of her mouth.

"Superb . . ." she whispered softly, still in a daze, "Your blood is the best, husband. I don't think I can stop consuming it. I really become helpless without it."

I raised my left hand and stroked her lustrous hair on her head. "You can have it so long as you follow me and listen to my words."

Mina nodded her head absentmindedly. Her glazed eyes which were burning with something I recognized as 'passion' was boring down on me, silently asking me for another 'thing'. Unfortunately, I couldn't give her what she wanted.

"No. Not yet. I just started my puberty. Wait after several months— be patient."

The young Vampire Ancestor pouted petulantly yet it didn't affect me in the slightest. She then sighed as she realized that her other wish wouldn't become true soon. She silently leaned her head in the crook of my neck and enjoyed the comfortable silence engulfing the room. She traced a circle on my right chest with her left index finger.

As much as I could feel the burning desire in my wanted to dominate her under me, I knew my body wasn't ready. Puberty was gradual and the body needed time to be prepared. I couldn't force something that wasn't ready yet. There would be many complications arose. Even though I had confidence in my Gamer ability, I tried to not become complacent. However, I wasn't sure if I had become complacent or not.

"Will you return to Hogwarts or stay here with me?" asked Mina suddenly, snapping me out of my reverie.

I contemplated my answer for a moment. Just then, I recalled my other agenda for tonight. I decided to hold back my answer to Mina's question and called my first house-elf.

"Barmy!"

With a soft cracking sound in the air, the beret-wearing house-elf appeared in the room. He saluted to me. I dismissed his salute and went to the point immediately.

"Barmy, I have a very important task for you and the others," I announced imperiously.

Barmy straightened his posture and put an attentive expression as he waited for my next announcement.

"Take some of the best house-elves in our little group and eliminate some Death Eaters with prominent background and positions in Magical Britain. Remember to keep your track untraceable. Make House Nott as the first target," — I paused for a short moment before continuing with more serious tone — "Don't forget to loot everything."

"Sir, yes sir!" Barmy saluted with a serious expression. Its green eyes were blazing with determination.

After I dismissed him with my hand-wave, he disappeared with a faint cracking sound in the air, leaving Mina and me alone in the room.

At that point in time, Mina shifted her head in the crook of my neck before she said, "Using trained house-elves to do your dirty job? This is first."

"Are you going to tell this small secret of mine to other?" I asked, glancing down at her. I couldn't see her eyes because she pressed her upper face on my neck but I could see her lips curled into an amused smirk, her ivory fangs poking out.

"Will you permit me?" asked Mina with a knowing tone.

"No. I won't," I replied at once.

"Thought so," she said right away before she nuzzled her body into mine, as though she tried to meld our body together. "By the way, you haven't answered my question yet, husband," she prompted me.

To be honest, I had had a plan to go into the wilderness to grind my level but I had forsaken it since I found how comfortable I was at the moment.

"No, I'll stay in here until before the dawn," I replied.

"Good, good husband," said Mina before she shifted her body into proper sitting position with back straight on my lap. She then pushed her lips into mine in a chaste kiss. She broke the kiss after a short moment and returned back to her previous position, snuggling into my body.

After that, both of us stayed like that until before the dawn. Although Mina still needed her rest as a vampire, she could stay awake for a week before she slumbered in her soundproofed coffin.

I mightn't speak it loudly but I truly enjoyed that peaceful night.

* * *

 _Footnote:_

 _Ah, yet another chapter has been posted, and I hope you find the chapter passable. Speaking of which, tell me what I shall write in the next issue:_

 _1.) Shall I write the operation of the little devils per the devil king's command?_ _ **  
**_ _2.) Or shall I flash out the house-elves operation scene?_

 _The choice is up to you. Either way, it won't affect the story._


	18. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (05)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

Sun began to rise in the horizon, spreading its warm light across the land. As this natural phenomenon occurred, I left the bathtub which was filled with warm water and dried myself with the prepared towel. Such act was considered beneath the wizards and witches with magic in their arsenal but I felt a soothing feeling from such mundane task.

After drying myself and putting on a simple T-shirt and a pair of pants, I returned back to my dorm and saw Terry Boots was still sleeping soundly. His laziness was acceptable for it was the weekend and the students were free from their classes.

Speaking of the classes, they progressed just like the usual; Professor Flitwick was still his eccentric self; Professor McGonagall was still her severe self; Professor Snape still hated loud children in general; Professor Bin still hadn't been exorcised and Lockhart was still the annoying narcissistic asshole he was. I really hoped the house-elf I'd given the task to watch over him would catch him doing something scandalous as soon as possible. He'd been an utter annoyance for me so far.

I decided to leave the young pureblood undisturbed and left the common room. As I stepped down the staircase, I saw several students were scattered in the common room; I found Su in conversation with other second-year witches, and Padma and Luna nowhere to be seen in the common room.

I walked across the common room but stopped in front of the entrance because a familiar voice had called me.

"Dias! Wait for me!"

I turned to the sound origin and saw Su trotted in my direction in hurry.

The Asian witch was wearing a white frilly blouse and knee length black skirt. I realized the witch looked prim and proper for a reason I couldn't fathom. The others in the common room ceased their activity to quench their curiosity before they returned back to what they were doing after they found out what was happening.

"What's it?" I asked one of my close friends as she stopped next to me.

"Are you going down for breakfast?" asked Su back.

I nodded, saying nothing.

"Then, let me join you," she said, "You don't have a problem with it, do you?"

"Yes," I said.

Realizing it was strange for Su to be alone without Holly around her, I voiced my confusion to her, "Where's Holly, by the way?"

"Holly told me she wants to sleep more since it's a weekend," said Su.

I said nothing as I accepted her answer. I then beckoned her to proceed first, trying to be a gentleman. My attempt was rewarded as Su bowed slightly, giving me a short courtesy of the proper noble lady.

"My, what a gentleman," she said.

After we stepped out the Ravenclaw Tower, we strolled side by side. Our walk was silent; I could feel she was expecting something from me from her body language alone. I needed a while until I realized what she wanted from me.

Neat and tidy appearance when she wasn't expected to prepare it, her sudden self-invitation to walk with me and her body language, she wanted to hear what I thought about her appearance.

Go figure.

"It's rare for you to present yourself exquisitely, Su. Do you have any plan today?" I finally inquired.

"No. I'm just in the mood," she replied at once, too fast as a matter of fact, "what do you think about my appearance?"

I craned my neck, watching her from head to toe. After a moment passed, I answered, "Lovelier than ever. You're like polished jade — Beautiful and magnificent."

"Thank you," whispered Su faintly, hiding her face from my sight. However, her ears were red, showing her flustered condition.

I didn't show anything on my face. Inwardly, my mind raced.

 _"Merlin's shrivelled balls! Is Su entering her puberty? She starts showing the trait of a pubescent in_ _a_ _crush. Does she have_ _a_ _crush on me?"_

I put that thought behind as we entered the Great Hall together.

I quickly found the familiar sight of Luna Lovegood, sitting alone in the Ravenclaw's table. I couldn't find Padma in the Great Hall; I guessed she was, perhaps, already in the library to finish her homework. Well, I had finished mine sometimes ago.

As I stood behind Luna, the first year witch was oblivious to the fact. I peered at her copy of Quibbler and saw her trying to finish the Runes Quiz in her family's newspaper.

"You need to put Sowilo in here and Hagalaz in there," I said, pointing the spot for the runes I mentioned.

I caught Luna tensing her body for a split second before she turned her head around, looking in my direction.

"Thank you," said Luna with her usual dreamy tone; I could feel her carefully hidden annoyance, "But, I want to finish the quiz myself."

"Your face looks in consternation, so as a kind-hearted big brother I am, I decided to lend a hand," I said back while settling down on the empty spot next to Luna.

"But, I can finish the quiz alone," insisted Luna; her dreamy tone had changed into a petulant tone of a spoilt little girl.

I laughed openly as I patted her head softly.

Our dynamic had changed to that of siblings seamlessly before I realized it. Luna herself readily accepted her role as the little sister. As a matter of fact, she seemed enjoyed her role very much.

It can be chalked to my earnest attempt to provide Luna with a delightful experience in Hogwarts and she doesn't have something like an older sibling in her life so far.

The progress is noticeable to me. For someone else, they don't see any unnaturalness from Luna who shows less dreamy expression lately. She seems to be different from her canonical counterpart that experienced full of hardship in Hogwarts.

Frankly, I enjoyed more of this familial or pure platonic relationship with my opposite sex. To me, romance is full of trouble I wish to stay as far as possible if it can be helped.

"Have you finished your breakfast?" I inquired as I took a bite of the well-done toast, cooked by Hogwarts' House-elves.

"Yep," replied Luna, popping the P at the end of her answer. She didn't shift her eyes from her copy of Quibblers. "I also drank my milk!"

"Good girl!" I said while parting her head with my left hand as my right hand was used to feed myself. "You will grow up fast like weeds if you drink your milk every day."

Luna put her family's newspaper on the table, earning my curiosity. She then patted her chest to my bemusement.

"Do you think they'll grow big if I drink my milk every day?" asked Luna innocently.

"Perhaps," — I rolled my eyes at that, — "If they grow up, I fear I must prepare most grotesque curse to ward off any Blubbering Humpingprimates in the future."

"I don't think you need to learn any dangerous curse to do it. I'm sure pepper spray is enough to ward them off."

We laughed together at that joke. After that, Luna continued reading her copy of Quibblers while I finished my breakfast.

Sitting next to me, Su had finished her breakfast sooner and was reading the copy of Daily Prophet left unattended on the table.

The headline took my interest and I asked Su's permission to borrow the newspaper.

 _THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE UPSTANDING MEMBERS OF MAGICAL BRITAIN CONTINUES!_

 _By: Rita Skeeter_

 _In recent weeks, many upstanding members of our society have disappeared mysteriously. Starting with the disappearance of Lord of House Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, a month ago, some upstanding members of our society followed the disappearance of the respected Lord of House Malfoy. Oddly enough, all upstanding members of magical Britain who disappeared are the Imperiused Death Eater under He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in a wizarding war that ended a decade ago. Victims of this mysterious disappearance have become too much and started making worry the many upstanding members of our society left. D.M.L.E. - Department of Magical Law and Enforcement - has been trying to find any clue related to this mysterious. What's actually happened behind this mysterious incident? Is this the clue to the return of the Dark One?_

 _Read more on page 3_

 _The list of the disappeared upstanding members of magical Britain on page 4_

 _The interview with the Director of the D.M.L.E about this mysterious case on page 4_

After I finished reading all articles about the headline, I put down the copy of Daily Prophet morning edition on the table and turned to look at my female acquaintance who had been gazing to my direction.

"What's it?" I asked, raising one brow in curiosity.

"What do you think about this mysterious disappearance?" asked Su.

I regarded the Asian witch silently. A moment passed in silence and we stared at each other eyes. I finally opened my mouth.

"To be honest, the news is disconcerting," I said, feigning my discomfort.

Agreeing with me, Su nodded her head silently. She then took the newspaper and flipped the page; she silently skimmed the paper and put it down on the table surface before my eyes.

"Look at the list of the disappeared people," Su started as she pointed a section in the paper with her dainty finger, "Most of the victims of the disappearance are the relatives of someone in this castle: Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and many more. What do you think about this? Do you think the assumption of the reporter is correct?"

I made a pensive expression and silently contemplated something else.

It had only been two weeks but my little minions had done a good job so far. However, I hadn't got my hand on the detailed report for they would report it after they finished their job. I had faith in them to complete their task in the end.

As I had expected, this 'mysterious disappearance' did create a chaos in Magical Britain. The effect was quite deep since some students had a gloomy expression when they found out their older relative disappeared mysteriously. Their fuse had become short too. It could be seen from how the majority of the Slytherin was easy to explode in anger.

Did I feel bad about this? The answer was no; my Gamer's Mind smothered all guilt I had about this. On one hand, it helped me to move on in my life. On the other hand, I couldn't help worrying how far I'd become inhuman.

I sighed heavily.

I knew this was the most logical choice but the fact that I was the reason behind this incident was still here. The ease of my mind from commanding my house-elves to hunt down all Death Eaters outside of Azkaban made me faintly uncomfortable. I couldn't help wondering if I would ever stop from reaping other's lives after the threat of Death Eater vanished. Probably, it wouldn't.

My ambition was big because of my power. This power of mine, the Gamer, made me see the bigger picture; there were many worlds outside of this small reality. Omniverse was truly limitless and the threat it had was very clear to me. There were many existences that could bend the reality into their will and destroy the world as easy as breathing. If I ever became complacent and stopped progressing, I was sure that I would die. I didn't want to die. Not with the

"Dias?"

I returned back to the reality and looked in Su's direction.

"Yes?"

"You were zoning out," Su pointed bluntly, "What were you thinking?"

"Nothing important. Anyway, there's the probability the reporter assumption is correct," I lamely changed to subject back to our previous topic.

Of course, my answer was a lie; Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort wouldn't return back. I guaranteed it with my soul and magic. As a matter of fact, I was the mastermind behind the upstanding pureblood wizards and witches disappearance in past week. However, there was no way I would say that loudly.

Su hummed wordlessly. "Say," she started another topic, "Do you mind to spend your time for helping me out with my DADA?"

I blinked at that and asked back:

"Why me though? There are others who can help you too, no?"

"Are you busy?" Su inquired.

At first, I wanted to answer with 'Yes' but when I saw her pleading eyes, I couldn't help but feel bad for declining her request.

"No, we can finish your DADA dormwork later," I replied with this in the end.

"Thank you, Dias," said Su with a faint yet beautiful smile on her face.

Suddenly, I felt a stare on my back and it came from Slytherin table.

 _"Oh, right, I need to find out why the heck Malfoy keeps sending me such intense look lately."_

Speaking of Lyra Malfoy, I realized the young witch was rather odd since the new term began. Her stare towards me was anything but normal; the normal stare of Lyra Malfoy was that of contempt as she stared at my direction. However, that'd changed in the sorting feast this year.

I made a mental note to uncover this mystery.

"Well, how about we start as soon as possible?"

Su's voice snapped me back from my inner musing. I turned my eyes towards Su and nodded my head wordlessly. Then, we left the Great Hall, returning to Ravenclaw Tower with the Asian witch as my second shadow.

— **»O«—**

Time crept by and before I knew it, the moon had reached the zenith of the dark sky. After putting Terry Boots into a dreamless slumber, I called one of my House-elves that were free from assignments.

I had requested a room that suited my need for what I intended to do; the room was wide with a single bed for a patient and comfortable chair standing next to it. Near the bed was a shelf full of magical medic and pharmacy books located in the castle.

After the preparation finished, I told Batty, the house-elf that would help me tonight, to take my target here. I'd asked Batty to use tranquillizers to force everyone in my target's dorm into an unconscious state before the house-elf brought my target her.

A moment later, Batty appeared with the unconscious Lyra Malfoy, floating a metre above the ground. She was floating because of House-elf's brand of magic.

I beckoned Batty to put down the unconscious Lyra in the bed. I disregard the young witch nightwear that seems improper for someone at her age. I meant that the female Malfoy was wearing see-through silver lingerie that shows her black lacy underwear with glossy emerald laces. It looked out of place since the girl didn't put on bras to accompany her choice of underwear. Then again, she hadn't started her puberty yet and she didn't need bras because, frankly, there was nothing to support; her chest was flat as Hogwarts' castle cold stone floor.

As I was 100% sure the young witch was unconscious, I opened her left eyelid and dived into her mind with my Legilimency. Since unconscious people rarely ever dream, it was easy to enter her mind and wasn't lost on her dreamscape. I made a mental note that the Malfoy girl had a high achievement as young Occlumens; a level 3 Occlumens at the tender age of twelve was something to be proud of.

However, Lyra's Occlumency barrier was nothing in front of my Legilimency; I easily pierced through her barrier.

The first image I saw in her mind was my appearance. It was enough to make me raise my brows. What happened next made me speechless.

I could interpret Lyra's strong, no; merely strong was too tame in comparison of the intense emotions she had about me.

Love. . .

Loyalty. . .

Longing. . .

Devotion. . .

Fanaticism. . .

I pulled back my consciousness from Lyra's mind and stared the sleeping girl as if I just found the fascinating new species out of Luna Lovegood's delusion. The fact that Lyra, the anti-muggle pureblooded witch, felt such intense emotions for me was something that made me wholly stumped, but my Gamer's Mind smothered the intense feeling immediately thereafter.

It was far from normal; it happened naturally was quite improbable.

I recalled every confrontation between Lyra's and Holly's cliques last year and in short several weeks in this year when I was in the immediate vicinity and found the possibility of Lyra starting showing interest in a positive way was nonexistent. Something like this could only happen if the insidious magic that affects mind playing a major part. As I became slightly curious of the reason behind Lyra's sudden transfixion on me, I delved deep into her mind once again.

— _my mother and I were held captive by a group of batty house-elves . . . we were powerless . . . our wand was confiscated . . . we were given delicious meal but my mother told me there was something in the mean — potions that could affect one's mind . . . we were in between of a rock and a hard place; either we must eat the meal prepared by these crazy House-elves or we would die because of the muggle weapon those crazy House-elves pointed to us . . . they had shown what those miniguns could do . . . we were afraid of death . . . we didn't want to die with bodies riddled with holes from those bullets . . . I felt something was different with me . . . as I woke up from my unpleasant sleep, the appearance of that filthy Mudblood who was always around the Little-Trollop-Who-Lived filled my mind . . . the sleep was too short; it wasn't enough to recover my mental fatigue . . . in my mental exhaustion, the image of someone in my school appears without deliberation on my part . . . I didn't understand what was happening with me . . . the image of Asmodias Lustburg, the Ravenclaw student in my year didn't want to disappear from my mind . . . my mind was filled with his face . . . I felt painful longing . . . I wished to see him badly that it was painful . . . I was taken by those crazy House-elves into a very dark room, dark enough until I couldn't see my own body and tied up limbs in this dark room . . . I was forced to watch a moving image of the cycle of life and death . . . I watched what those crazy House-elves called as human life cycle documentation . . . they made me realize how insignificant my life was . . . they forced me to understand how small I was . . . they showed the image of that boy . . . physically and mentally exhausted, they forced me to repeat the commandments endlessly . . . Asmodias Lustburg is the most glorious, magnificent and extraordinary wizard . . . Asmodias Lustburg is the only one who suites to be the true King of the World . . . Asmodias Lustburg will bring the golden age of magic in the future . . . To serve Asmodias Lustburg is the biggest honour for my lowly self . . . To be useful for Asmodias Lustburg is the true bliss . . . I was nothing for my body, soul and magic solely belong to Asmodias Lustburg . . . my life and death are Asmodias Lustburg's alone . . . Ah — I don't understand what I'm doing, why I'm here and what is happening to me . . . there is painful yearning to meet my beloved Lord . . . I want to be loved by my lord . . . I want to relish in his magnificent . . . I want him to focus his attention solely on me . . . am I crazy for yearning for him? . . . Mother, your moaning is disgusting . . . I hate it when you call my beloved Lord with that disgusting sound of yours . . . the Girl-Who-Lived and her Asian breed little bitch — how dare they stain my Lord's magnificent . . . I'm alone is enough for him . . . my LordLordLordLORD_ _ **LORDLORDLORDLORD**_ _!—_

I forcefully pulled my mind from Lyra's convoluted mind. I then stared at her with deadpan.

What I had found in her mind was scary as it was very concerning, but, of course, I showed nothing on my face.

I immediately used all diagnosis spell I knew in my repertoire and found the heavy trace of Love and Loyalty potions, keyed to me.

Now, I cock up my brown as the slightest reaction to this unprecedented occurrence.

"Batty!" — I unintentionally used a blank voice with a slightly sharp edge — "Subdue Madam Pomfrey, Hogwarts' mediwitch, with tranquillizers and bring her here ASAP!"

Batty quickly disappeared and soon returned back with the unconscious mediwitch, floating in the air because of the house-elf magic. I quickly requested another bed. After the bed appeared, I told Batty to put down Poppy Pomfrey on the bed. I didn't waste my time; I woke her up and put her under _Imperious_ curse. Then, I made Poppy Pomfrey to give Lyra thorough diagnosis with her exceptional skill as a mediwitch.

What I heard was something I didn't like; I couldn't help wondering who had played a sick joke to me. I then realized that Lyra Malfoy wasn't the only one who was in this state; her mother, Narcissa Malfoy, was in the same state or perhaps it was much worse. I didn't really care as I asked Batty to take me and the still _Imperiused_ Poppy Pomfrey to Malfoy's manor, leaving the unconscious Lyra alone in the Room of Requirement.

— **»O«—**

I was sitting absentmindedly in a chair; I was in the extraordinary bedroom that spoke luxury and opulence; the only downside of this room was the musky smell of arousal.

I wasn't alone; there were two ladies in the room; one was unconscious in the bed (she was Madam Pomfrey the Hogwarts' mediwitch who I had brought (kidnapped, actually) here) and another woman was tied in a chair in front of dresser as she wailed in a heartbreaking way and pouring out her tears.

Now, you must think what kind of heinous act I had done to make a beautiful lady (she was beautiful, more beautiful than the world-class model in my previous life) wail like her loved one had been murdered before their eyes, no? Well, let me tell you something important. Her cry wasn't entirely my fault. Alright, it was a bit of my fault or perhaps it was entirely my fault. I didn't care the chronological order of it, to be honest.

"My lord! Oh, my beloved young lord! Please, tell me what I have done wrong! Don't deny my love for you, my beloved! Is this because I'm not young anymore! Do not fear my lord, I shall show you that I can satisfy you as a lady! Please let me indulge myself in your intoxicating presence! Let me embrace you in my arms! My young Lord, let me serve you! Let me a use for your magnificent self!"

* * *

 **Narcissa Malfoy (nee Black)  
\- Race: Witch  
\- Level: 34  
\- Health: ****320** **  
\- Willpower:** **1320** **  
Statistic Attributes:  
\- Strength: 29  
\- Speed: 31  
\- Mind: 75  
\- Magic: ****132** **  
** **A pureblood witch, the daughter of Cygnus III and Druella Black; she's the widow of dead Lucius Malfoy, the single young mother Lyra Malfoy, and the so-called proper pureblood lady (i.e: haughty, proud and a snobbish) before she was converted into Asmodian Cult by the group of insane house-elves! There's no reason to stop the MILF's advance! Don't waste your chance, my boy!**

* * *

Surprisingly, she didn't look like the actress who played her in movie adaptations of Harry Potter series. This Narcissa Malfoy had straight and luxurious midnight coloured hair with a pair of grey eyes. Although she was supposedly in her mid to late thirties, she looked a decade younger with right curves shown by her naked body. She didn't look like Helen McCrory; as a matter of fact, she was closer to Jennifer Connelly who played as Betty Rose in Hulk 2003 — appearance-wise, at least.

And let's don't forget that she was also naked.

Why was she naked? You might ask; the answer was she had been pleasuring herself when I arrived here with Batty and the _Imperiused_ Madam Pomfrey. And speaking of the . . . _thing_ . . . she used to pleasure herself, I had banished it into oblivion as I saw it. It was instinctual reaction more than anything else.

She started wailing when I warded off her bold advance after I barged into her room. When I said 'bold advance', I meant she basically threw herself at me, trying to molest the innocent me. I could sue her to the police for sexual harassment for that but I decided to take care of it with my own two hands. In the end, I stunned and tied her to a chair.

"One after another . . . why the fuck I can't get my well-deserved rest?" I questioned flatly. If there was the target for my question, it must be the fate that liked to toy with my life for her amusement so much. I realized it was a bit overdramatic, but who cares?

I was taken off guard because of her abrupt attack and in my moment of weakness, Narcissa had scored something from me.

She had scored a French kiss and fondled my family's most precious jewel! She had fondled my most important and sacred part. It was also the reason behind my quick reaction in dealing with the sexual assault of the horny witch. That's right. She looked like a horny bitch who I believed had ingested gallons of aphrodisiac for breakfast. What's next? Dumbledore finally acknowledges that he has a crush on me and tries to molest the 'innocent' me? If that really happens, I will murder the old man with a deadpan before I stole his Death Stick

With a heavy sigh that was unsuited for a twelve-year-old boy, I moved from my spot, walking in her direction. I was their grey eyes lit up brightly when they saw me getting closer. I then stopped in front of Narcissa and saw her expression shift into a horny expression. To be honest, it was disturbing and unnerving me, at least, before my Gamer's Mind forced me to be calm and cool like a cucumber.

I had made the _Imperiused_ Hogwarts' mediwitch to diagnose Narcissa and she informed me the same thing she had gotten from Narcissa's own daughter a moment ago. Poppy Pomfrey had detected heavy traces of overdose Loyalty and Love Potions keyed to me.

Madam Pomfrey told me that there was a complication with the Malfoy's mother-daughter pair; it wouldn't be a problem if the potions were ingested normally via the mouth. However, her diagnosis found out somehow the potions had been forced into Lyra and Narcissa bloodstreams via transfusions. It wouldn't be easy to flush the effect of the potions. I correct my statement; it would be nigh-impossible to flush the potions' effects from their system.

There is a reason why Potions are ingested normally via mouth and there was never documented event when Potions were distributed via transfusion. Potions can be categorized as a medicine with mysterious effect with very fast reaction yet, in the end, they are still a medicine. When they are ingested via mouth they will act like ingested medicine and the waste will be driven out by the human digestive system. This means the effect of potion won't be permanent. However, it's different if a medicine is distributed directly to the bloodstream. Usually, it is a delicate process and needs a prescription from doctors because they know the limit. If ones ingest a medicine without doctor's recommendation and overdose themselves, it will be _very_ bad.

I scratched my head as I tried to find a way to fix this mess. I didn't know if there was a way to flush out the effect of the potions in both witches' system without adverse effect on their body and mind. If I send them to St. Mungo Hospital for Magical Malady, it would be basically opening a can full of worms, so to speak. The St Mungo's staff would trace back the keyed target of the loyalty and love potions, which I knew both were considered as a crime to distribute to someone. In the end, it would badly affect me. Since this is the upstanding members of Britain's Magical Society, the Regent Lady and the Heiress of Malfoy House, it was beyond worse.

I couldn't imagine what will happen to me if the Wizengamot finds out a muggleborn —a mere lowly commoner, in other words— has doped both Regent Lady and the Heiress of Malfoy House—no; wait! I could imagine what will happen to me. Either I was going to be thrown into my next great adventure via Veil Express™, get a lovely smooch from the soul-sucking, grotesque abomination called Dementor or be detained in the maximum security cell in Azkaban Spa and Resort. Either one is something which I wished to keep very faraway from me.

I looked around the room as I tried to find a way to fix this whole mess. At that point in time, I saw Batty scuttling nervously in the room. I immediately remembered the reason behind this whole fiasco.

"Batty," I called the house-elf, "Do you know who started this whole mess?"

"Er . . . It was General Barmy and Captain Corny sir!"

"Good, very good," — I couldn't stop myself from smiling belligerently at that, — "Barmy and Corny, yes? I wonder what kind of punishment I'm going to deliver to them. . ."

I then thought a way to punish those two little blighters without killing them while waiting until those two returned from their night raid. In the meantime, I decided to ignore the horny naked witch a few metres away from my position.

— **»O«—**

"Move! Move!"

Barmy, the proud house-elf of his most magnificent Master Lusty-Bug Sir barked at his squad members.

Following the beret-wearing, machine gun-wielding house-elf's command, four House-elves hurried over.

Tonight, they are targeting one of Death Eaters whose job is the Executor of The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures of

Ministry of Magic; the wizard name is Walden Macnair.

After being informed by the HEBO's snooping department, Barmy and his squad had gotten the detailed information of the poor wizard down to the breathing interval.

Barmy beckoned his squad to stop as they arrived in the edge of the Wards which were protecting their target's home. He then put down his beloved machinegun and searched for something in his satchel. Soon, he took out a Runic Plate that HEBO's Crafty Department had created. A moment later, a house-elf sized hole appeared in the ward without triggering the alarm.

"Now, let's finish this job," said Barmy to his squad mates, "I'm going to execute the bad wizard. Ballsy will kill the heathen house-elf who works for the bad wizard, and the others will liberate anything precious from the bad wizard's house. Try to find the Goblin's bank's key! Any question? No?"

The other House-elves readily agreed to their squad leader's command.

"Then, let's the operation commenced!"

They then proceeded their mission seamlessly.

Ballsy finished his job first for the so-called heathen in their eyes appeared as they stepped in the house; a bullet through the poor house-elf's head which Ballsy shot from his handgun with silencer took his life. Then, Ballsy joined the other to clean their Walden Macnair's wealth while Barmy apparated to his target's bedroom.

"Who? What—?!"

The moment Barmy appeared in the bedroom, Walden Macnair surprisingly woke up with a jolt; the man sensitive instinct to death forced him to wake up as his mortal peril crept closer. Alas, his Protego shield wasn't enough to protect him from countless hot leads shot to him with terminal velocity speed as Barmy unleashed the torrent of hot leads to the Executor.

A loud 'Ratatatatata~' sound echoed in the room as Barmy riddled Walden Macnair's body with holes; the Death Eater's body became horribly mangled and his unrecognized corpse lied on his own pooling blood.

"Target is eliminated," said Barmy after he stopped his machine gun.

The beret-wearing house-elf then sent the mangled corpse into the prepared corpse refrigerator in the main base. He then fixed the bullet-riddled room and cleaned the blood on the floor efficiently. In a span of a few seconds, the room was returned back to its former state, only lacking the sleeping owner whose life had been reaped by the trigger-happy house-elf. He also erased the magical signature that could be traced back to him. After that, Barmy apparated to the lawn and waited for other completing their task.

Less than a minute, Ballsy and the other three had returned from raiding the house clean.

"Another mission is completed seamlessly, our most glorious Master Lusty-Bug sir will be proud of us!"

"ALL HAIL MASTER LUSTY-BUG SIR!"

Barmy nodded, satisfied by the spirit of his brethren. He then said, "Let's return back and have much-needed rest for tomorrow mission!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

The Barmy squad then 'apparated' back to their hidden base, happy and very pleased, unknowing that their Master Lusty-Bug Sir was awaiting their arrival with a menacing smile on his effeminate face.


	19. Potterverse — Hogwarts 2nd Year (06)

**Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.** **  
** **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!**

* * *

I shook my head silently, feeling unsure whether I should feel amused or appalled at the little blighters worshipping the floor I walked on.

Currently, I'm in the secret base of my growing kingdom of House-elves whose the sole goal is to dominate the whole globe in my name.

At first, it sounded so delusional and was quite painful to my mental state, but after I realized that my growing organization (behind my back if I must add) has the potential to achieve that, I decided I need to stop them from their zealous crusader against the whole world. The truth is I don't have a goal to dominate this world. As a matter of fact, I find it to be troublesome. I don't have any plan to dominate this world or any other worlds for that matter. Then, what is my goal? You may ask me with that question and my answer is simple; I want power first and immortality second.

Now, before you accused me of plagiarizing the same Dark-Lord-turned-Wraith I had apprehended and locked inside a crystal ball and sued me for the same reason, I must tell you that I pride myself as a sane person who knows the bigger picture. Lord Voldemort wanted immortality because he feared death and, frankly, I'm too. However, Lord Voldemort wanted to rule the world and savour the superior feeling as the ruler while his follower worshipping him and grovelling under his shoes; this is what separates us from being same.

The Omniverse is, frankly, without limits and full of perils and fortunes; this world is nothing but a mere drop of boundless and vast sea or, perhaps, even considered as nothing in the limitless Omniverse. My true goal is to travel the limitless Omniverse and enjoy a long, easy life, and to realize that goal, I need power first and the foremost and next is immortality. Fortunately, my absurd, reality-breaking power can help me attaining the former and also has a potential for the later. In the end, though, I don't have any wish to be a ruler.

However, I digressed long enough.

I returned back from my musings and stared at two House-elves, hung from the ceiling with their balls connected with rope; they were Barmy and Corny, the reason behind my former headache when I found out what'd happened to the Malfoy's pair of a mother and a daughter.

While being hung cruelly, they had explained their reason behind doping the Malfoy's pair of a daughter and a mother with Love and Loyalty potions. In the end, it returned back to the whole ruling and world-conquering discussion in my name. Oh joy, just thinking what's going to happen to my future when they succeed their crusade almost gave me an aneurysm . . . almost as the keyword because my Gamer's Mind stopped any intense emotion from taking over all space in my head.

"Barmy, Corny," I called the two House-elves and they turned their eyes towards me; tears were still spilling out from the corners of their eyes, likely from the pain they were experiencing. "I don't have any intention to be a tyrant. As a matter of fact, I don't have any intention to be any kind of ruler."

I paused, watching their reaction, and found out they were listening to me intently amidst their pain. I nodded at that and continued where I left, "There's a saying about the path to hell is paved with good intentions. Now, your thoughtfulness to help me is appreciated, but, next time, please don't do anything like this ever again."

I waited for their reaction and, soon, I saw them nod carefully, trying to not aggravating their condition.

"Be glad I don't execute you because of your folly. I still see the use of you two and it will be a shame to kill you because of this small mishaps. Now, you two need to stay like that for the next twenty-three hours," — I paused and gave them a menacing stare, — "Am I clear?"

The two House-elves nodded in a hurry before they winced as pain flared through their bodies from their crotches. After witnessing that, I turned my eyes towards the five dozens of the house-elves in this hidden basement.

They are surprisingly standing in several rows of a line that can make the other national militant force green in envy because of their discipline.

"Take this as a reminder," I started as I stared at them with a hard stare, "From now, if you all have an idea that can affect me, consult with me first before you lot go with it . . . do I make myself clear?"

"SIR, YES SIR!"

The loud shouts echoed in the chamber; I nodded at that, feeling glad something like this won't happen again in the future, right before that feeling was smothered by the calmness. I then reminded that I had left the unconscious Madam Pomfrey and the horny Narcissa Malfoy in the Malfoy's Manor. Recalling the state of the perpetual horny witch almost made me feel a headache, though, thanks to my Gamer's Mind, it didn't happen.

"You," pointing at the random house-elf, I called the short little gremlin, "Take me back to Malfoy's manor. I need to return to Hogwarts with Poppy Pomfrey and deal with Narcissa Malfoy's condition."

"Sir, yes sir!" The house-elf saluted before he (I believed the creature to be a male from the lack of feminine trait of their race) trotted in my direction. I accepted his wrinkle-skinned hand and we returned back to Malfoy's Manor via house-elf magic. . .

"My Lord! You have returned! Can I be a use for you! Let me show you how I can be a slutty, little witch to serve your carnal need, my beloved Lord!"

. . . and I was greeted by Narcissa's frantic shout the moment I appeared in her chamber.

I stared at the tied up adult witch, still naked, with a deadpan. Now that I've become calm from the proverbial war between my high emotions and the effect of my Gamer's Mind skill in my head, I could think everything through calmly.

To tell the truth, I didn't have any use for the Malfoy's pair of a mother and a daughter. I didn't mind my lack of standing in Magical Britain. However, my zealous House-elves begged to differ, it seems.

Now, the question is, how shall I use the Malfoy's name since they were offered to me by my batty minions?

"Alright, Narcissa. . ." I tried to get her attention, which I supposed unnecessary for her attention was always to me.

The naked witch perked both literally and figuratively; her grey eyes lit up in delight from my sudden call while her breasts, laid bare for me to see, jiggled as she straightened her sitting posture.

"Yes, my Lord!" replied the witch amorously; her face heated up and flushed as her arousal became apparent, "Do you need something? Will you finally let me serve you?"

"No," I replied at once, earning a dejected expression from the batty witch, "Can you tell me what you can provide me with?" I ignored her pitiful expression, which seems like a kicked puppy, and asked this question.

"My body, my lord! You mightn't be an adult yet, but I can help you to understand the bliss of being an adult sooner!" answered the Regent Lady of Malfoy House.

I deadpanned at her, showing nothing on my face as I checked her naked figure. She was batting her eyelashes coquettishly, tempting me to take her offer as she realized I was checking on her.

"Forget it, woman," — I finally spoke, dismissing her temptation (I was glad my Gamer's Mind was keeping my mind on check or I would've been fallen for her tempting offer), — "I just hit my puberty not long ago and you're not the only one who wants to eat me, figuratively speaking of course. As a matter of fact, you need to stand in line and wait for your turn, but I digress. . ."

I ignored her sexy pout then she spread her thighs slightly, showing her drooling lower lips to me, and as she tried to say her nonsense yet again, I cut her before she could even speak her first word.

"Now, answer my question seriously or I'll . . . discard you for another more useful witch . . ."

"Mercy my Lord! Don't throw me away! I shall answer your question seriously, but, please, don't throw me away!"

. . . and the horny witch answered in a panicked voice; her expression matched it.

"Good, at least, you understand what'll happen to you if you keep fooling around," — I nodded in satisfaction from the witch's reaction, — "Now, my question is . . . what can you offer to me?" I said in an even tone.

Narcissa clamped her thighs begrudgingly and pulled a pensive expression; she contemplated her answer for a moment before she spoke.

"To be honest," she began, "Other than the connection belongs to House of Malfoy and House of Black, I don't think this lowly servant of yours can offer something else, my lord."

What she said, more or less, is correct; I don't need Malfoy's or Black's wealth because my House-elves had amassed enough wealth in their heist; for their magical knowledge, I had commanded my house-elves to clean Black's library in the Number 12 Grimmauld Place, and compared to the books I could find in the Hogwarts, that place and this place held nothing of value to me. In the end, only Black's and Malfoy's connection held value for me.

"Color me impressed Narcissa," — I conceded at her understanding and the witch in question preened on my praise, — "At least, you are still useful for me."

"Am I going to get the prize for my usefulness, my Lord?" asked Narcissa hopefully.

I stared at her in the eyes blankly and said, "What do you want?"

"Let me serve you with my body, O my beloved Lord!" answered Narcissa at once.

I rolled my eyes to that; I should have expected it from an addled-minded witch like her.

Before I could deny her wish, I got an idea how to use someone like her. It was quite obvious; I would work her up like horse or donkey with the 'carrot and stick' approach. Although my Gamer's Mind repressed my desire, I couldn't deny the fact that the mature witch in front of me is sexy and full of adult charm. Nevertheless, I won't be shaken by her temptation. However, there is no adverse effect to tease her for now.

I curled up the corners of my lips into a suave smile and walked closer towards the tied up witch; Narcissa's body trembled in anticipation as I got closer. I stopped in front of her and cupped her chin, watching her expectant, dreamy grey eyes.

"Do you really wish for me to use your body that badly, Narcissa?" I said.

The black haired witch shuddered as my left index finger trailed on her sweaty cleavages, down her stomach before stopping above her crotch; her lips flapped open and closed randomly as she failed to voice what's in her mind; her body shook violently from my action and her breath became laboured.

"Ye-yes . . . Please, My Lord . . . I can't hold this . . . the heat of passion in my . . . chest anymore. It's painful . . . my Lord! It's torturing me, chipping my sanity bit by bit!"

I made a mental note how bad her condition is; as a matter of fact, I'm not sure if she could hold her rampaging desire any longer. She had done a great job in diverting her tortuous desire with the . . . doll transfigured to match my appearance (which I had banished to the oblivion when I arrived here for the first time).

"Are you now?" I asked evenly.

"Yes! Of course, My Lord! It is my deepest desire to serve you with this body!"

"Unfortunately, Narcissa," — I watched her face contorting into despair as I began, — "I'm still too young to have coitus with you in the truest sense. But, I think, I can help you lessen your pain slightly."

I continued trailing my hand down until I felt her pubic hair and continued further; her breath became rougher and erratic and her grey eyes dilated as my hand got closer to her unholy garden. My hand then arrived at its destination and I pinched a small nub from the folded skins.

Narcissa gasped; her body lurched forward and her thighs clamped painfully as her body shuddered intensely. "Hnnnhhhh~" she let loose a throaty moan with a long drawl.

I felt liquid, sticky and warm, poured out of her core and realized she just came from it. So easy that it wasn't funny. Yet, it wasn't the end. Her grey eyes were staring at me with such carnal desire that would make me stagger back by its intensity if not for my Gamer's Mind maintained my calm. Narcissa then shifted her hips, bucking them slowly at first, before her movement became frantic.

"Oh~ Yes! More my Lord! Please give me more," pleaded Narcissa pitifully.

And granted her wish, I did; I inserted my fingers, index finger and middle finger together, into her wet, pulsating core. Her body lurched from the sensation, and she blinked her eyes quickly in bliss. I then twist my fingers in her core, trying to find her sweet spot, as I softly twisted her twitching soft peanut with my thumb and index finger.

"Ohhhhh! Morgana! Yesssss! That's the spot, my Lord!" moaning throatily, her speech almost unrecognisable; she had humped her wide hips, trying to match the rhythm of my finger as she strained against her bound; her eyelids dropped slightly, creating a dopey look; her face inched forwards before it reached its threshold, stopping dead as her bound didn't give her freedom to move further; her luscious lips parted slightly and her slippery tongue jutted out through the gap, moving slightly as if it tried to find something.

With a level face that showed neither boredom nor interest, I watched her blissful expression; my hands continued its magic and my fingers twisted her sensitive bud and prodded her sweet spot ruthlessly.

Soon, I could feel the convulsions became stronger and her core secreted more fluid; I realized her orgasm was close, but I wouldn't give her what she desired the most. I pulled my hand quickly and found my fingers were wet with her love fluids. I then saw her frozen expression and her eyes tightened in disbelief as her sweet release had been robbed away when it was so close.

"My-my Lord," stuttered Narcissa (it sounded more like a whimper in my ears; I felt a faint amusement as the epitome of pureblood lady showed such reaction), "W-why?"

"Do you want it? Do you wish your real prize, Narcissa Malfoy?" I asked as I moved my face closer to hers; our noses were almost touching each other and I could feel her hot, ragged breath on my face.

"Ple-please . . ." begged the adult witch pitifully; her frustration was clear on her beautiful face and yet, she didn't dare to take it out on me.

"If you want it. . ." I said evenly before I straightened my posture; from my position, I could clearly watch her perky twin breasts heaving quickly and her hips quivering pitifully.

I ignored her devastated expression and clear sexual frustration and walked away from her position. I then beckoned to the silent house-elf that'd been standing inconspicuously in one of the corners while waiting for me silently; the house-elf strutted closer in my direction and offered his gnarled hand to me. Before I accepted his offered hand, I turned my face back towards the adult witch bound in the chair.

"Then, earn it," I finished my unfinished speech from earlier.

"Wha-what do I need to do, my Lord?" asked Narcissa at once.

"Give me all connection of Malfoy and Black House with what kind of service those connections provide me with. Write it all in the parchment and present it to me tomorrow morning via my house-elf stationed in this place. If you completed this task with flying colour, tomorrow night I'll do the same thing until the end."

I didn't wait for Narcissa answer and beckoned the house-elf to take the unconscious Madam Pomfrey and me back to Hogwarts.

With a silent cracking sound, I left the horny and bothered adult witch behind for Hogwarts.

—»O«—

A few weeks crept by, and, in a month, the Christmas will arrive; the date changed into November 25th after the needles of the grandfather clock passed the 12 O'clock; one of my house-elf, Wonky, had appeared, stopping my grinding in the forest in northern Scotland to farm extra Exp; I wasn't alone for Mina was accompanying me in tonight hunt.

"What is it, Wonky?" I asked the female house-elf as I caught her in my peripheral vision.

Not far away, Mina was watching Wonky and I from her spot, sitting properly around a table with a fresh Death Eater's blood in a cup in front of her; tonight, the Vampire Ancestor was wearing black colored dress with detached sleeves that showed her smooth, unblemished shoulder and some cleavages and mini-skirts that stops on her mid-thighs. She also wore black stockings that covered up her slender legs and healthy thighs and almost showed no skin, except the small pale part in the between of her skirt and the end of her stockings. The last article she wore was a pair of high-heeled stilettos.

Although it was almost winter and the temperature slowly dropped down, she seemed careless of the cold.

"Sir, the annoying wizard has been caught in the bad activity with seventh year Gryffindor's student," Wonky began her report at once, "I have sent the irksome wizard on Professor Kitty's room! Tomorrow morning, the bad wizard won't teach in Hogwarts no further than yesterday!"

"Well," — I responded with raised brows, and other than that, I showed nothing, — "That's good."

I paused for a moment, mulling over something in my head. Then, I asked the female house-elf, "What about Albus Dumbledore? Is he trying to save Lockhart or kicking the fraud out of the castle?"

"Headmaster Dumby-door is interrogating the Irksome Wizard with Batty Potions Master's assistance, Sir!" answered Wonky easily.

I accepted the report with a faint nod; I made a pensive expression as I mulled what this revelation meant for me.

Albus Dumbledore had been a mystery to me; whether he is how he portrayed in the series or the evil old wizard shown in some fanfictions or something else was unknown to me. So far, I tried to find out his category from the three categories I had for him, and he'd shown himself as the first category; a person who wished for the betterment of magical folks with farsightedness that made him a tad Machiavellian. However, I didn't feel secure without knowing what kind of person he truly. Nevertheless, I had decided to eliminate him in the future to get the ownership of his Death's Stick.

Speaking of one of the Deathly Hallows, my mind couldn't help but think the possibility of the Master of Death rumour within this reality. It made me curious; would it be a hoax like in the canonical series or would I become the Master of the embodiment of the Death like portrayed in some of the fanfictions in my previous life. It was also a mystery I wanted to unveil, and it made me excited.

I shook my head, stopping my mind from thinking about Dumbledore further. I then stared at Mina who was sitting calmly while sipping the wizard's blood from her wineglass.

"What's it, dearest?" asked Mina as she felt my gaze on her; she raised her brows fluidly, making the movement seemed like a beautiful art.

"Nothing," — I shook my head and returned my attention to Wonky, — "You may return back to your duty, and thank you for informing me, Wonky."

"Oh! Master Lusty-Bug sir is the kindest! Wonky moved to tears because of sir's thanks! Master is truly the most glorious wizard in the world!" Wonky spoke while bawling loudly.

I ignored the batty house-elf and the amused Mina and scanned a kilometre distance around me for the presence of any dangerous Magical Creature I could kill for extra Exp. Soon, my Presence Detection informed me of the pack of the Nuckelavee (a horse-like demon that looks worse than Thesthral). Then, I signalled to Mina, informing her of my plan. After the Vampire Ancestor gave me her consent, a small nod to my direction, I immediately dashed to my targets' position.

The night is still young and the hunt is just beginning . . .

— **»O«—**

Time continued to pass without anyone can stop it even though only for a mere second, even though there are wizards and witches that can mess up the natural law of the world with the obscure art of magic. Before I knew it, Christmas arrived and I will return back to Yorkshire for Christmas and Boxing Day.

My house-elf packed my effect before the dawn arrived; my friends — somewhat — and I had our breakfast in the Great Hall; we left the castle via the Thesthral drawn carriage; we took one compartment and I put on all security with the others' approvals.

And now, I'm silently watching the girl having their small talk; Luna Lovegoods had taken the spot near the door, sitting at my right; Su Li was sitting on my other side; Holly who was surprisingly leaving the castle for this year's Christmas and Boxing Day was sitting across me, flanked by the Patil Twins, and she was talking with the aforementioned twins about their Christmas' party in Patil's residence in the United Kingdom; For once, Hermione wasn't with us, she was busy in other compartment and if Parvati could be believed, the bushy haired witch was tutoring Neville Longbottom.

Speaking of the Girl Who Lived, this Christmas Holly was going to have a sleepover in the Patil's place. I should have been surprised by it, but my Gamer's Mind rendered the surprise into nonexistent.

As the Hogwarts Express passed the greeneries outside, I kept my attention to the gossiping girl; Luna who was busy with her Rune Quiz in her copy of Quibblers would cut in with her odd yet delightful remark; The Ravenclaw girls who knew Luna looked nonpulsed, but Parvati was different. The younger of the Patil Twins had given the first year Ravenclaw a few odd glances for Luna's odd remarks and her unreal magical creatures.

The girls had many things to discuss, ranging from the rumours about Lockhart's sudden removal from the rooster of Hogwarts' professor, Lockhart's apparent fraudulence that shattered many witches preconception on the wizard, their school experience from the early in November to this morning, and many, many more. Quite frankly, I didn't hold that much of interest towards the topic of their discussion. My mind was somewhere else, namely my plan for the Christmas and the Boxing Day.

Like the previous Christmas, I planned to spend it with Clara and other obedient orphans in the Orphanage after that, I would spend the rest of the night with Mina until the dawn came. For the Boxing Day, I would visit Su's house for a business before I spent the rest of holiday with the Vampire Ancestor living near my orphanage.

Hours passed and the sky had turned dark; the Hogwarts Express finally arrived in the King's Cross; we climbed down the iron steps after the car was almost empty. My small group of six was separated in our ways; Holly had left together with the Patils, Luna had been taken away by Xenophilius Lovegoods (Oh, how the wizard is as bonkers as his canon counterpart has been portrayed in the novels); Su left with her family, and I had small pleasant talk with Mister Li for our appointment in the boxing day. It was the best part of this whole occasion.

Stepping out of the station, I immediately went to the empty alley and called one of my house-elves. I then asked the house-elf to take me to Mina's place. . .

"Welcome home, my beloved husband!"

. . . and I got the lovely greeting from the Vampire Ancestor as I appeared in her living room; she sounded like a faithful wife greeting her husband just returned back home from a day of work.

As Mina glided gracefully from her sofa, I dismissed my house-elf's presence for the house-elf's service was unneeded for the moment. She was all but throwing her small body towards my direction, making me catch her lest she tackled me down the floor. She then kissed me on the mouth without any trace of reservation. Her fangs had accidentally pierced my lower lips, but no blood came out of my Gamer's Body hadn't been deactivated. Her jumping moment made me spin our body for a moment before I could steady myself. Thanks to my high Strength and Agility statistics, I could correct my posture without any problem.

"Are you going to stay in here until morning?" asking this, Mina stared at me in the eyes; her blood red eyes with a vertical slit for pupil gazed with clear expectation.

I nodded my head wordlessly to answer her inquiry; a faint yet beautiful smile bloomed on her face, increasing her charm. I checked her appearance and saw her wearing a blood red tube-top and a pair of short jeans that showed so much skin of her legs (not like I feel dissatisfied from it. As a matter of fact, it was the opposite). She tried her pale blond hair in a simple bun, showing her smooth, frail-looking neck. If she knew I was checking her, she acted as if nothing happened, taking everything in a stride.

"Good," — Mina nodded her head, seemed pleased by my answer, — "Now, tell your days in the past three days," she said as she dragged me to the quality sofa.

I let her pull across the room and sat down on the quality sofa. Then, the bloodsucking minx climbed up my laps and made herself comfortable.

"Before that, may you give me permission for my special feeding schedule?" she said with a sultry tone.

I deactivated my Gamer's Body effect and beckoned her to feed on me by giving her easy access to my neck; she soon sunk her fangs into my neck and sucked around 500ml blood out of my body. As this happened, she didn't forget to grind her shapely rears on my laps, unconsciously trying to tempt me in her increasing arousal. I would be a liar if I said I wasn't tempted by her seduction, though, it wasn't a deliberate action on her part. My mind might be forced into perpetual calmness because of my Gamer's Mind, but my body was quite honest with its feeling.

In all honesty, my body's natural reaction was given once I had turned off my Gamer's Body. It had been accumulating pent up sexual frustration from Mina's feeding schedule and _rewarding_ Narcissa for her hard work in past months. If it wasn't for my Gamer's Mind, I would have indulged my bodily need and relished the passionate debauchery Narcissa and Mina wouldn't mind to entertain me.

"So," started Mina after she finished her feeding, "Something interesting happened in these three days?"

"No," — I shook my head, — "Nothing much. It was just other boring days in Hogwarts, though I have made an appointment for the Boxing Day with Su and her family."

"Ah, she's you Chinese Mistress, isn't she?" said Mina, sounded amused.

"Su isn't my Chinese Mistress," I retorted at once without any heat in my tone.

"Keep saying that, my dearest, and she mayn't become one of your Mistress, perhaps." — Mina rolled her ruby-like eyes — "If you never entertained yourself with the idea to have more than one lover, you would have told her that you don't have any interest for her, disabusing her for her growing crush on you."

"Maybe . . ." I trailed unsurely.

As a matter of fact, Mina's statement held a certain truth in it. Even though my Gamer's Mind made me a pseudo-asexual, I was still a normal man (as normal as I can be with reality-warping power on my fingertip), and my instinctual, physical reaction to Narcissa's slutty manner and Mina's coquettish behavior around me had told me that I was still a man who wants to indulge in the carnal pleasure for the sake of pure enjoyment. It isn't like I am a sex-maniac who wishes nothing but indulge myself in carnal pleasure.

As a man whose goal is to enjoy what long life can offer me with, I instinctively desire for the finest entertainment I can get; pleasure in bed, in a battlefield and even simplest pleasure like enjoying a normal day with a pleasant company is something I want. It's just that, deep down I think I'm entitled to such indulgence because I had experienced a life before this life and I was a tad disappointed because I must experience another life with the annoyance following it.

"There's no maybe, my dearest, I can see deep down you wish for it. If not, you would ignore or, perhaps, even kill your witch-pet and her daughter the moment you found out their condition, instead of sparing their life, no?"

When I opened my mouth to reply, she stopped me with a kiss. After she broke the kiss, she stared at me with mirthful eyes and said, "You needn't answer me, my dearest. Just remember that I don't mind when you add more women as your mates and you mustn't neglect me when I'm not the sole woman in your life."

I stared at the young Vampire Ancestor in bemusement. A moment later, I nodded my head silently.

"So, you have made an appointment with your Chinese Mistress's family?" said Mina as she tried changing the subject of our conversation, "Is it about the martial art you want to learn from her family?"

"More or less," saying this, I also nodded my head.

"I'm curious about the far-east martial arts, to be honest."

"Why?" I asked with a faint curiosity, before the feeling was smothered by my Gamer's Mind.

"My Lord Father has told me about the legendary prowess of far-east warriors who can manipulate their life forces. He mentioned about it in the passing, and he said that the far-east warrior he met in the past wa a fearsome person with an ability to shatter massive boulder with a mere tap of his palm and he could move as fast as my Lord Father when he wasn't holding back. In fact, my Lord Father advised me not to make an enemy out of this kind of person for he almost perished in this person's hand."

"I never thought Vlad Tepes had met with Ki-user from far-east," I mused loudly, "I think, my decision to learn Chinese Martial Arts isn't wrong, and I have confidence I can quickly reach that level."

"I believe you can do it, my dearest," — Mina patted my cheeks softly, signalling her encouragement, — "I have faith in you. You, as my significant other, are a special person, after all."

After that, we talked nothings as we spent our time together until 8 A.M., and I left Mina's place to show up in the orphanage.

* * *

 _ **Footnote:**_ **  
** _ **I have edited previous chapter (CH18) a little bit to maintain Dias' apathy and his logical thinking brought by his Gamer's Mind. I don't have other reasons for off-screening Lockhart's removal from the Hogwarts than I don't have the drive to write that scene. And, I hope you can enjoy the lime I put in this chapter.**_

 _ **See you again in the next chapter!**_


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